X Kat: the Mutant Squadron
by RogueFanKC
Summary: Set in Red Witch's Misfitverse! The XMen are trapped in Megakat City, and their only hope lies in the lonely and bitter Razor. Read and enjoy the fight for Megakat City as the XMen and SWAT Kats team up against evil. Complete
1. Forge, We're Gonna Kill You!

**Author's note: I do not own the characters of X-Men: Evolution for they are the respective property of Marvel Comics. The soon-to-be-revealed cartoon in this cross-over fanfic is owned by the company, Hanna-Barbara. All references to the Misfit-verse timeline are property of fantastic fanfic author, Red Witch, who had graciously given me permission to write about her universe of the Misfits. To all those reading, this IS set in the Misfit-timeline; however, it was solely concentrated on the X-Men for this story. It happens during my fanfic, "A Light in the Heart of the Misfit", so while the Misfits and Joes were dealing with Justin and the Dinosaucers, the X-Men go through THESE events! So basically, it is an "X-Men" centered fanfic.**

**Misfits and Joes: Good! We don't wanna be tortured by your insane writing anymore! Give us a breather!**

**Also, with respect to her universe, this fanfic takes place after Red Witch's, "The Misfit Island Adventure", and currently, the X-Men have not seen the Misfits as of yet after the story, "Tremors of the Past" (fans may want to read that story first before tackling this one since it explains a bit about the X-Men's current behavior and attitude towards the Misfits), also done by Red Witch. Thus, Warren, Paige, Jesse are not recruits in the story, and Arcade had never attacked the X-Men with Cerebro. Got it? Good! That said, enjoy the story!**

**X-Kat: The Mutant Squadron**

**CHAPTER 1: Forge, We're Gonna Kill you!**

"Another Saturday with nothing to do," groaned Roberto, lazily drooping his entire body like a sloth on the couch, the sun streaming in from the window and heating up his bronze skin and black, curly hair. He wasn't the only one; all the New Mutants and most of the original X-Men, save the adults and Forge, were trying to spend their current day lounging around the TV and recreation room.

"I know what you mean, Roberto," Amara sighed as she looked up from writing a letter back to her parents in Roma Nova, her brown eyes registering discontent underneath her dark-brown bangs, "It's getting to be a big hassle with nothing ever fun happening to our social lives! I mean…look at our glamorous roles as X-Men! We save the world, we fight bad guys, we defend all mutant civil rights…all before turning in for homework, assignments, classes, and Danger Room sessions! And what do we get for it?! Nothing but bomb threats, death threats, anonymous rude phone calls, criticism, protestors at our front gates and absolute-zero on our free time!"

"What do you mean? There's plenty to do here, and if you're bored, we can all do another round of the Danger Room training, especially since we faltered a bit by several seconds during the Epsilon level 'search-and-recovery' exercise," Scott looked up from his book and commented, amused. He and Jean were quietly seated on the carpeted davenport of the den, enjoying the sun shining down upon them from the bay windows, reading their favorite novels.

"Scott, get real!" groaned Amara, rolling her eyes.

"Yeah, we hardly ever go out anymore and have fun…although from how we're normally greeted in Bayville and from how we're portrayed on the tube, it's hardly a wonder _why_," Tabitha griped from the couch. Alongside her were Kurt, Kitty, Piotr, Bobby, and a very irritated Rogue who was trying to elbow a very persistent Remy from getting too close to her from his position on the couch, all of them half-heartedly watching another anti-mutant propaganda on the evening news.

"Aw, c'mon, _chere_," Remy pleaded in a suave yet childish, amused sort of tone, "Let me be your teddy bear so that you can snuggle with Remy here, all nice and warm and ready for a little Cajun lovin'."

Rogue hissed, holding up the remote control, "Keep it up, swamp rat, and you're gonna be able to change the channels to the TV with your butt!"

"Ooooh! Remy have no idea _chere_ here would be so kinky!" the young adult winked at the irritated girl.

"Argh! Will you just get lost and leave me alone, you mangy mutt?!"

"If Remy here get lost, _chere_ then will go find him, no?"

"I'll find you a nice, quiet place to hide your dead body if you don't quit buggin' me, you reject from the New Orleans sewer!!"

"Ah, come on, Rogue…loosen up a bit! I know! Why don't the two of us play hide-and-seek underneath your blankets?"

"Try it, and the things Wolvie and I would do to will make you actually look forward to burning in hell for a lifetime!"

"At least the time I spend with you before that happens will be like heaven, eh _mon cherie_?"

"I will not slam his head through the coffee table, I will not slam his head through the coffee table, I will not slam his head through the coffee table…" Rogue had to mentally tell herself in a furious pace.

"We must really be in a rut if we consider fights between Remy and Rogue as entertainment," Kurt murmured as he focused more on the banter instead of the evening news, smiling at the dirty look Rogue threw at the blue-furred mutant and the amused look Remy threw at him simultaneously.

"At least it's like totally better than watching this garbage," Kitty said, making a face as she saw pictures and footage of the latest riot trashing the city, all for the sake of anti-mutant hostility, "No wonder we've been totally expelled for good from Bayville High. With like, all of the protests and hate-rallies and the Mutant Registration Act going on, we're seriously lucky all of us are alive and around to even watch this stuff and complain on how lame our lives are at this point."

"Not that being around is a much better alternative," sighed Piotr, "It's not just our Bayville high school. So far, we've been banned and kicked out of the Bayville mall, the zoo, the public library…"

"Nice going, Gambit," groaned Roberto after hearing that statement.

"That explosion was **NOT** Remy's fault!" the Cajun mutant snapped in defense, "If anything, it was the fact that Amara started that book-bonfire that got us kicked out in the first place!"

"Hey, I got startled from the water-main backfiring mess**_ you_** created, and I lost control for one minute!" Amara staunchly retorted, "It was only a couple of old textbooks that needed to be updated anyway! The library wouldn't have missed them!"

"What was scary was the fact that seeing Amara burning _her_ books prompted the other kids over there to burn _their_ books, even though they all conveniently forgot that the books were the _library's_," Sam smiled at the memory as he was seated with Jaime, doing the crossword puzzle from the funnies section of the Bayville newspaper, "I hafta admit, Amara, I've never seen kids get so into a bonfire, especially since they all kept cheering you on as a hero for giving them the guts to quit doing homework."

Jaime then giggled as he piped up, "I remember that! That was when the head librarian had a mental breakdown, right there and then when he saw the kids burning that prized oil-portrait of William Shakespeare the library had hanging in their main sanctuary! That was the first time I saw a grown man cry."

Sam then asked aloud as he focused on a box in the puzzle, "Hey, anybody know a seven-lettered word for 'mythological bird' that ends with the letter **x**?"

"Phoenix," Jean provided without looking up from her book.

"Gee, in that case, I can't blame him for banning us from the library, then" drawled Roberto sarcastically as he looked at Amara.

Piotr continued tiredly, "And let's not forget the pet shop, all five city parks, the Gut Bomb burger restaurant…or what's left of it."

"Hey, the manager shouldn't have promoted that all-you-can-eat special! Not my fault I ate him out of business! Besides, he's happier now! Last I heard, he cashed in his insurance money and is living a new career as a beachcomber on the Cayman Islands," blushed Kurt.

"On the upside, you're the first person I know of to have infamous warning posters with your face plastered on them to every burger and fast-food joint on the East Coast, Blue," chuckled Tabitha, "not to mention that you're the first mutant to ever make the 'Ten Most Wanted' list of the Atkins Diet Association. Now **_that's_** an accomplishment! Hee hee hee!"

"…the local pound, all of downtown Bayville, the arcade…"

"Hey, that guy accused me of cheating in the _Marvel vs. Capcom 2_ tournament and got me unfairly discharged from the final tier! He deserved to get a little iced!" retorted Bobby.

"Uh, Bobby? Considering _which_ body part of his you iced, you're lucky the guy's parents didn't go along with their threat of suing the Institute for endangering the future family lineage," Rogue grumpily said.

"Let's face it, you guys," Bobby sighed, "with the world hating us like this, we're not going to be able to go anywhere."

"So what? At least we can focus more on having time to study and plan on how to build and strengthen our tactics as the X-Men," Scott provided a bit too eagerly, which prompted a lot of groans all around and a couple of pillows being thrown at him good-naturedly.

Jaime whined, "Scooooooott! We didn't want to have being an X-Man rule our life like this!"

Remy then said, "The kid's right, _mon ami_. Being an X-Man is only a part of who were are; it does not govern our life ta' be shaped as a soldier for the rest of our lives. We need to grow and live as a family, not as some mutant army Peace Corps. After all, being a person means enjoyin' life every now and again, _no_?"

Rogue put on a look of fake shock, gasping mockingly, "Well whaddya know! The swamp rat?! Being **philosophical**?! Call the news team quick, Kitty, cause this is a sure moment of a pod-person from outer space!"

"Remy is wounded, _chere_," Remy shot back in jest.

"Anybody know a seven-lettered word that starts with **w** and ends with **o** and is a word for 'Native-American folklore'?" Jaime asked to no one in particular in the living room as he concentrated on the crossword puzzle again.

"The word's _wendigo_, kid," Logan (a.k.a Wolverine) said gruffly as he walked in the living room with a beer in his hand before frowning at Bobby, "Hey, Ice-cube! I thought I told you to wax the X-Jet today!"

Bobby sighed, remembering that he was still on probation, before respectfully saying to Logan, "I already finished, Mr. Logan. Fifteen minutes ago, and Sam and the other New Mutants can vouch for me on that one."

Logan still remained cross as he barked, "Fine, but just remember, Icicle: if there's even one spot on that thing that's not shiny enough to see my reflection, your ass's gonna be back in the hangar, cleaning and polishing every jet, bike, and car this mansion has. So, what the hell were you kids talkin' about anyways?"

Jean said, "We were all discussing how bored we are now, apparently, considering that the New Mutants think that they have no fun since we're all forced to stay in the X-Mansion and that we do nothing but study, go to classes, and Danger Room sessions."

Logan gave a small, noncommittal _hmph_ before seating himself on the easy chair and taking a swig of beer. The thing with Logan was that he wasn't much of a person for words, yet despite his violent temper, the kids grew up to love him as a father.

For a while, there wasn't much else but the sounds of the TV as the X-Men sat around, moping and wondering.

"I miss the Misfits," Jaime said suddenly. There was nothing but an uncomfortable silence. It was amazing how everyone, every noise, every side chatter ceased to be, when all the older X-Men just stared at Multiple, thinking (or in some cases, hoping) it was a joke. Yet, the miserable look on Jaime's face said otherwise; the adolescent was serious.

Tabitha then mirrored the look of sadness on her face as well. She sighed, "I do too, Jaime."

Bobby just looked down at the floor, guilt evident in his features. Kitty's face was stony, but Piotr could detect a faint trace of a tear starting to well up in her eye. Passive aggressively, the Russian mutant gently wrapped his strong arms around her petite waist, trying to comfort Shadowcat. Kitty smiled at the gesture, but Piotr was still slightly steamed that in her eyes, competing against her affections for Piotr, she still wanted to see that…that hoodlum. OK, granted, when they learned of Lance's past, Piotr could have honestly said he felt pity for the earth-shaker. No one certainly deserved that, at that young of an age. But didn't that still show that Piotr was the better man for Kitty, was the one who would be the least likely to cause her pain? With all that baggage, it would be doubtful that Avalanche would even last with Shadowcat anyway. Was it so wrong to take the obvious road then? To do what was going to be inevitable?

Scott's voice was struggling to maintain its control as he reprimanded gently, "Jaime…as much as I respect that opinion…I think it's better for all of us if we don't hang around the Misfits for a while. After all, things have been a little strained between both of our teams."

Jean just scowled slightly behind her book, but she kept quiet. Yet the sentiment running through her head was obviously somewhere along the lines of "Good riddance". And it was also obvious that the same opinion was also being repeated in some of the other X-Men, especially Piotr and Gambit.

Roberto sighed, "I have to admit, it really hasn't been the same without them showing up to bug us. I never thought there'd be a day when I miss the explosions and fighting and chaos that happened to the mansion. I mean, it's so quiet that it's literally driving me nuts! I almost wish we could have one more fight with them."

"I don't, Roberto," huffed Jean, "I'm glad they all stopped bugging us and annoying us and disgracing the Institute with their presence. It's about time they stopped being so childish and left us alone so that we could concentrate on establishing the goal of mutant-human peace, something that I daresay the Misfits could hardly ever do."

Amara then snapped as she coldly spoke to the redhead, "Hey, childish or not, it was still wrong to treat Lance like that!"

"Look, Amara. I truly am sorry that Lance had to go through that, and that he had such a rough past. But it doesn't change the fact that he and the rest of the Misfits could grow up and stop acting like such destructive clowns and ruining the name of mutants everywhere!"

"I agree. We're better off without those losers anyway," grumbled Gambit.

Rogue gave Gambit a look of disbelief and, dare she say it, outrage.

Kurt then growled uncharacteristically, showing his canines, "What gives you the right to judge them like that? After all, let's not forget you're hardly what I would call the perfect angel! Does the term 'Guild of Thieves' mean anything to you?!"

"Hey, you hated them too, so get off your high horse, Kurt! After all, you hated all the trouble they caused us, what with the explosions, the fights, the number of times they wrecked the mansion! Don't pretend that you feel all bad and guilty when you're just as glad as any of us that they're gone for good, you hypocrite!"

Kurt turned a deep crimson, which oddly contrasted against his blue face.

"Look, let's just drop it, okay you guys?" Scott tried to placate gently, "The whole point is that the Misfits aren't going to come around any more, and we're all better off because of it. We need to heal and get over what they did to us before we can even think of being…allies with them."

Kurt frowned at Scott, and along him followed equal glares of disdain from Tabitha, Amara, Jaime, and (surprisingly enough) Rogue and Logan.

"Hey, we're almost done!" cheered Sam, though it was obvious he was trying to lessen the tension in the room, as he and Jaime concentrated on the last word of the puzzle, "can anyone tell us a nine-lettered word that starts with **o**, ends with **g-h-t** and means 'assault'?"

"That would be the word, 'onslaught', young Samuel," Professor Charles Xavier provided helpfully as he wheeled into the living room with Ororo, Hank, and Forge. Forge was excitedly following and carrying a new metallic gadget in his hands. The professor frowned when he suddenly sensed the gloomy mood in everyone's minds; even without simple telepathic probing, Xavier could sense the wave of discontent among the X-Men. And he didn't need to read their consciousnesses in order to find out why. He prayed deep down that it would pass.

"What's that you're carrying, Forge?" asked Jean as she spotted the strange mechanism.

The mutant inventor eagerly blurted out, "Behold, my latest invention! The alternator!"

Every one of the students and Logan just gave Forge a really odd look.

Sam then asked in humor, "Forge, did you forget ta' take your Valium prescription again or what?"

"Remy thinks that when they were handing out names for inventions, our little Forge here must have been last in line," snickered Gambit.

Hank then explained to the kids, "What young Forge meant was that this device acts like the image inducers we have at the X-Mansion, except it is actually more realistic and can physically create such illusions."

"So why call it the 'alternator'?" Bobby asked, piqued, as several of the students got up and gathered all around Forge and the adults.

"Do you remember when we all traveled through the portal to Mojo's dimension with the Misfits and Shipwreck?" Hank asked. Ororo rolled her eyes at the memory and so did Logan, Remy and Piotr. All four of them vividly remembered the traumatic experience of having the miniature Colossus and Avalanche clones come to vie for Kitty's affections.

Forge then explained, "I just thought how it would be cool to view other dimensions and see how we would look like in different realities and alternate worlds! You know, sort of like how we saw the X-Men being led by Magneto and how in another alternate dimension, we had the two Shadowcats fight each other. Well, this is how we can see what we would look like in alternate dimensions! The alternator is like a TV that can tune in to the specific frequency of an alternate universe by setting in coordinates of the tenth dimensions of time and space, and voila! We get images of how things and people look like had they been in different dimensions!"

"So it's like a spy-cam, but only for different dimensions and realities? That is so totally cool!" marveled Kitty.

Ororo then explained, "It may also aid us in the future. Do you remember that when we visited the reality that Magneto was now currently leading the X-Men after the Professor was attacked and had to taken care of by the alien race, the Shi'ar Empire? The Beast in **that** reality told us to beware of something called the Legacy Virus, and that should it ever come to pass in our timeline, all we would have to do is inject the virus into Logan, and his healing factor mutation would produce the antibodies needed to save humanity. So as of now, because of that warning, Professor X and the staff are well-prepared for such a disaster."

"Oh, I get it," Rogue said, "So if we use this alternator-doohickey, we may be able to find out some more about bad stuff coming our way had we all been in some alternate universe and use the knowledge from that to equip ourselves of any enemies and troubles if they happen in our world too."

"Affirmative," Hank nodded with his blue, shaggy head as he turned to Forge, "May I suggest that you are welcome to do the honor, Forge?"

Forge announced in a gleeful voice, excited, "Here we go! Ladies and gentlemen, prepare to be amazed! I'm setting the coordinates for the ninth-dimension, alpha x-y plane, in the phi-orbital!"

With that, the Native-American mutant pressed a couple of buttons before turning on the red switch, and instantly, a beam of light shot out of a lens from the very front of the hand-held machine. With a wide berth, the white beam spread out into a circle before immediately projecting out an image. Interested, everyone peered into the circle to see what they would be witnessing in another alternate universe. What they saw was some sort of grand city. It was certainly a beautiful sight. The megalopolis was huge, littered with tall skyscrapers and buildings along with grand parks, cleverly designed towers with a touch of Renaissance artistic look, all perfectly next to a scenic view of a wide, sparkling river, clean and glittering under the setting sun. To tell the truth, it was surprisingly similar to New York.

"Um…what are we supposed to be seeing?" Sam asked, "This doesn't look really different from New York City. Heck, this doesn't look like anything different from any burg here!"

"Remember, Sam, looks can be deceiving," Professor X replied, "Just because the city does appear to be normal, it could be most likely that the world could be astoundingly different in ways we cannot comprehend nor imagine."

"Maybe this is where the X-Men are gonna live in the future or perhaps this is another reality where we lived in some major city instead of Bayville," suggested Tabitha.

"Hey, I see some sort of sign," Scott pointed out, "Forge, is there any way we can get a close-up view of the city, perhaps see what's on the sign? We might know more about this city and whether or not we have a place in that parallel universe if we could get a better look."

"Hold on a minute," Forge said as he tried to fiddle with the settings of the alternator again, but then a screaming voice broke through the quiet den.

"Get back here, Lockheed!!!" screamed a voice from the hallway in rage, and the X-Men turned to see the purple pet dragon cackling madly in a high-pitched hissing glee while the red-and-blond haired mutant, Ray Crisp, chased after him with a furious look of hopping rage. And everyone could notice the fact that his dark, woolen sweater now had some dark-brown, runny dragon dung on it, smearing the fabric (and a good portion of his head) with the reeking mess. Lockheed was hissing and giggling madly, flying gracefully in loops while enjoying the chase. Some of the X-Men could have sworn that the dragon was actually laughing.

"Think it's funny, you Barney-demon reject?! Let's see how funny it'll be to have you have ten thousand volts shock your system!!" Ray snapped in his blind anger as he started to build up a furious blast of electricity from his right fist, the energy starting to pop and crackle alarmingly.

"Leave Lockheed alone, you creep!" Kitty angrily warned as she stamped her foot on the carpet.

"Ray, calm down, man!" Roberto tried to soothe his teammate as he tried to put a hand on Ray's shoulder. But Ray was beyond reasoning.

"I'll calm down when I fry that overgrown lizard!! Die, you little dragon-spawn!!" And before anyone could stop him, Ray let loose a furious blitz of electricity at the purple, pet dragon. Unafraid, Lockheed managed to skillfully execute a simple barrel-roll in the air with a flap of his wings and dodged the searing stream of energy aimed at where he was a split-second ago. Unfortunately, Lockheed was directly behind the alternator Forger was holding in his hands. With a crackle and an intense rush, the alternator was subjected to hundreds of voltage and watts of pure energy, hot, heavy, and extremely damaging.

"Oh no!! My invention!!" cried Forge as the alternator hissed and sparked madly, quivering from the overload to its circuitry and energy components. Yet, surprisingly, it wasn't causing any pain to Forge who was still holding it.

"Why aren't you dropping it?!" shrieked Amara in panic, "It's going to explode!!"

"It can't!!" yelled Forge as he tried to stabilize the alternator, "I built the alternator device from non-conducting metals and from the spare parts of the remote-control dimension-rift machine we got after you guys came back from Mojo's dimension!! No matter how much damage it takes, the alternator won't explode or heat up and conduct energy, so we're safe from anything the alternator does!!"

Apparently, Forge had forgotten the popular expression, "famous last words". All of a sudden, the alternator started beeping and flashing madly, shaking even more up to the point where it was actually starting to blur slightly as it vibrated and hummed, as if something was starting to build up.

"Uh…kid?! I don't think it's supposed to do that, is it?!!" Logan yelped.

"It's not!" Forge yelled, now fearfully alarmed as the alternator then flashed before creating a huge, purple-blackish portal, swirling and crackling with thin streaks of electricity and blue energy, as a gigantic rip in time, space and reality formed in the middle of the den. Almost immediately, the rift grew and grew, increasing in size by ten-fold every microsecond, and the entire room started to quake and rumble doe to the inward force of the gravitational pulls of the portal. And to the collective X-Men's horror, the pull was getting stronger and stronger.

"Forge, turn it off!!" yelled Bobby.

"I can't!! It's stuck!!" Forge cried as tried to shut down the alternator.

"Hey, I can't teleport out!!" gasped Kurt in horror as he tried to drag Rogue, Kitty, Piotr, Tabitha, and Bobby out of the room, only to find out that he couldn't jump out of the room. No matter what, the brimstone clouds emerged and disappeared over and over, only to reveal that Kurt's couldn't teleport from the exact same spot.

"That's portal's must be preventin' you from getting out of there! Everyone, let's scram while the getting's good!" Sam yelled as he grabbed Jaime and Ororo's hands, ready to dash out with his mutant power. Logan and Roberto were about to grab Hank and the Professor, and Jean tried to contain the portal's gravitational forces by surrounding it with a telekinetic bubble, but before anything could be done, the portal flashed, and with a small explosion, the rift in time and space engulfed every living organism in the den before disappearing, taking the X-Men and Lockheed to worlds unknown.

"**_AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!!!_**" screamed all the students and the instructors as the G-forces caused them all to plummet amongst the whirlpool of reality and light, the wormhole swerving and converging in all directions like an out of control roller-coaster. With such extreme pressure tearing at their bodies from all directions, it was unbearable. Luckily, Jean acted quickly.

"Everyone, hang on!!" she commanded telepathically, her words echoing in everyone's mind like a stern order, "I'm surrounding us with a force-field!!" With that, Jean used her telekinesis to encase all of them with a bubble of translucent force, the opposing orb pushing back the crushing feelings of the portal and preventing the X-Men from being permanently damaged from the acceleration and speeds. Before the X-Men could even gawk at the fascinating and eerie sights of the rift, their trip came to an abrupt end at the end of the tunnel, engulfed in a white, blinding illumination.

With a yell, all of the X-Men crashed hard on something gritty and solid, like pavement. Groaning, the X-Men shakily got up, disoriented, dizzy, and bruised, but otherwise, all right with no broken bones or critical wounds. The Professor's wheelchair was slightly battered, but still fully functional, and Forge's alternator was smoking, charred, and non-responsive, but aside from that, the mutant inventor could see that no parts were badly damaged and smashed. The tear in the space-time continuum had vanished without a trace.

"Is everyone all right?" groaned Hank as he rubbed his aching elbow unconsciously. Scott and Jean immediately did a head count, including them, to see if any of their teammates had been separated from the trip.

"Nineteen?" Jean asked her boyfriend.

"Nineteen," Scott nodded in relief, "Every X-Man and X-Woman has been accounted for."

Lockheed then flew by, a bit wobbly, before landing softly into Kitty's arms.

"Well, twenty if you include Kitty's dragon," moaned Scott. Meanwhile, the X-Men and the New Mutants were in awe as they realized their surroundings.

"Uh, _homme_," Remy gulped, "Remy don't think we're in Bayville no more." The Cajun mutant spoke the truth; to everyone's horror, they were now all in the middle of a city, the very city they had been observing earlier through the alternator before Ray blasted it. Except now, the civilization no longer seemed so pristine and peaceful at the close-up. Instead, it was more like a metropolis war-zone. Rubble and cracked streets were apparent everywhere along with huge masses of overgrown vines and plants hanging limply from damaged buildings and torn down offices, almost as if Willow, the Eloi mutant, has used her powers to go completely out of control. There was a small fire here and there and craters, smoking and charred, embedded in the buildings and roads indicated that there had been several explosions. Logan himself caught whiffs of gunpowder, nitroglycerin, and ozone with his sharp nose, sure indicators of guns and weaponry being fired and used. Jaime then spotted a sign not too far away. It was bent, charred, and even had a corner blasted off by some awesome firepower, but the words on it were still readable. It boasted in grand, white letters: "Welcome to Megakat City, Population: 9,500,000".

"_Megakat City_?? That sounds…familiar…" Jaime frowned to himself, trying to invoke the memory of why he thought he had heard it before. Meanwhile, every other mutant was glaring at Forge, their eyes twitching and their hands ready to rip the meek inventor to pieces.

"Forge!!" every X-Man and X-Woman screamed at the top of their lungs, "We're gonna kill you!!!"

**Author's note: I'm not going to tell you which cartoon the X-Men will cross-over with; I have left plenty of hints in this chapter and title ALONE. Also, some sharp eyes may notice some deliberate references I secretly hid in the crossword puzzle. Next Friday, I will reveal the cartoon as the X-Men run into trouble with the inhabitants of the city, and a stranger has come to help. Question is, is the stranger friend or foe? And where are the X-Men exactly? Find out in the next chapter, "A Whole New World…Literally". Until then, read and review! Constructive criticism welcome!**


	2. A Whole New World…Literally

**CHAPTER 2: A Whole New World…Literally**

"So now what do we do?" Sam asked worriedly as the X-Men were getting over their shock and fear of being in a new environment.

"I am not sure of that myself, young Samuel," Professor X said in a worried tone, submissive to giving up to the pressure of panicking. Meanwhile, some of the X-Men were angrily arguing with each other and pointing fingers at whom was responsible for this entire fiasco.

"This is all **your** fault, Forge!" yelled Rogue angrily, "If we ever get back home, I'm gonna use whatever left of your troublemakin' carcass to trash your lab to the ground before I salt the earth where I burned it to the ground!"

"Hey, if you're going to kill anyone around here, kill Ray! **_He's_** the one who caused my alternator to malfunction in the first place!" Forge snapped in defense.

"Thanks a lot, Ray!" Roberto growled.

"You wanna try something with me, punk!" answered back Bezerker as his hands began to glow in electricity again, "And don't go pinning this one on me, Forge! If anything, it was Lockheed's fault for using me as his personal toilet! If Kitty just faced the fact that her dragon is Satan incarnate and actually disciplined that overgrown lizard, we wouldn't even be in this mess in the first place!"

"Hey!" protested Kitty, her brown eyes flashing angrily.

"Oh come off it, Kitty! Ray's got a point!" snapped Remy who shot the purple dragon in her arms with a fierce glare, "That lizard's the one who had to anger Ray and fly in front of that dumb alternator, just like how he's always giving us _hommes_ a hard time with his destructive habits and such! You just saw that stupid lizard laughing earlier! He was enjoying this, and he doesn't care what he does or who he screws over cause you _femmes_ let that reject of a pet get away with everything! If you kept that dumb dragon in control, Lockheed wouldn't be such damn pest and we'd all still be back home!"

"I vote we try making a dragon popsicle!" snapped Bobby as he readied his hand.

"Try it, and I'll beat the crap out of you first!" Kitty yelled dangerously, her muscles tense and ready to spring.

"Leave Lockheed alone, Bobby!" Amara shouted, "He didn't know what he was doing, and you're not helping things by blaming him or Kitty!"

"Oh please!" retorted Bobby angrily, "If Kitty didn't take in that stupid winged monster, we'd all be better off, just like how we're all better off that she finally made up her dumb mind and stopped stringing Lance along and went with Peter instead!" At this, Kitty burst into tears, sobbing and surprising everyone around her. Apparently, it was still a very, _very_ sore and painful subject for the valley girl, and immediately, Bobby felt even lower than the proverbial first-class heel. He didn't mean to say it; it just came out because of his anger. Piotr's eyes immediately glowed red-hot as he bared his teeth at the ice-mutant before him, incensed and immediately protective.

"Happy now!" the Russian shot back in disgust as he gave Bobby as hard shove, pushing him back.

"Stop this! All of you! Stop this at once! Shame on you!" commanded Storm sternly, her hands on her hips and the air actually trembling all around the group. Immediately, the quarreling group fell silent, a bit embarrassed of themselves.

Storm then turned to Forge and Professor Xavier, asking, "Charles, Forge, can this be fixed? Is there a possible way we can come back to our home dimension, wherever it is?"

Forge then spoke in a hopeful voice, "Well, actually…yeah, it can. It's really possible that I can fix the coordinates of the alternator to go back home. Unfortunately, there's one problem…"

Forge held up the smoking, charred mechanism high above his head in a dramatic fashion, making it clearly evident to everyone that it was badly damaged from Ray's electric blast and couldn't possibly create another rift as a gateway back home. With the alternator broken, the X-Men were stuck.

"Can't you just fix it up again, make it brand new? You've always been able to patch up old things without even blinking," Ray asked, his anger to Lockheed temporarily forgotten.

Forge shook his head miserably, saying, "I can't though, Ray! Some of the parts are so damaged that not even my mechanical instruments I carry in my mechanical arm can repair them! But I can create some new parts, especially the vital ones we need to get the alternator working again! Unfortunately, I'm gonna need some fresh raw materials to build them, like bismuth metal, semiconductors, some new wiring, standard cells and substrates and crystallized beryllium for starters! If I can get some of those and a few more components, I think there's a good chance we'll be able to go back home again!"

"You '_think_'!" Kurt asked, deadpanned and dubious.

"Hey, it's worth a shot!" Forge shot back in defense.

Hank then sighed, "Despite the situation, we are however fortunate enough to be in a dimension with such a mammoth and metropolitan civilization. We may be lucky enough to find a simple electronics store or a research facility that may have some of the equipment we're in dire need of. I guess this means we'll have to do a little searching expedition in this city if we want to have any chance of going back home."

"You mean what's left of it, Mr. McCoy," Amara said as she grimaced at the destruction all around them, "I mean, this looks like it was a total war-zone! And there doesn't seem to be anybody around!"

Logan said gruffly, "It might be better for us then, kid. With the streets deserted like this, we have a less likely chance of running into people and scaring them, especially if this dimension doesn't even have mutants and humans."

"Should we like spilt up, then?" Kitty asked Scott and Professor Xavier, wiping away her tearstains with the back of her hand furiously, "We might be able to cover more ground for sure and help Forge find what he's looking for."

"Are you nuts!" Kurt cried, "Don't you ever watch any horror movies, _die Freundin_! Splitting up is one of the stupidest decisions ever made that always results in someone getting killed! Just like other stupid decisions like building your dream house over an ancient burial ground or like staying the night at a supposedly haunted house!"

"Kurt, this isn't a horror movie," Ororo said as she tiredly rolled her eyes.

"I agree with Kurt though," Scott answered almost immediately, "Kitty, being separated in a strange dimension is almost a guarantee that something can go wrong, and if Forge fixes the alternator, we'd have a tougher time regrouping before getting back home. It would be awful if we managed to get back home, but then realized we accidentally left one of the X-Men behind."

"And it would be safer to travel as a group, Kitty. Whatever had caused this destruction might still be around, and if they had enough firepower to achieve this kind of damage, it may take all the full efforts of the X-Men combined to ensure we don't fall victim to the same fate," Xavier added.

It was settled then, and though it was certainly nerve-wracking, the group started walking down the crackled roads and dusty rubble of the abandoned downtown, with Jean pushing the Professor's wheelchair and Lockheed flying softly over Kitty's head like an obedient watchdog. However, the further they walked, the more horrifying the carnage became to the X-Men. The lower levels of the surrounding skyscrapers were charred with the foundations stripped off, revealing smoking, charred beams of steel and metal. Fragments and shards of bloodied glass were strewn everywhere, glittering under the setting sun like diamonds. The air was thick with the noxious fumes of smoke and burnt asbestos, mixed with dusty particles of plaster and grime. Thick, monstrous green vines, slimy with layers of gore and muck, were snaked all over the buildings, burrowing deep into the walls and floors, uprooting everything in sight and giving the terrain a rather rough and chaotic surface, filling the ground of bumps and small hills. Lampposts were bent as easily as taffy, buses and automobiles were horrifically crushed like tin cans…and throughout the streets, the X-Men were shocked upon seeing corpses, lying facedown in the streets like garbage, surrounded with dried, cracked circles of blood and rock. Some were wearing bulletproof vests and uniforms similar to those of policemen, some were ordinary civilians with causal wear, one or two were wearing spiff, starched business uniforms like those found in an office environment, and there was a small one of a child, his baseball cap still worn backwards on what was left of the creature's head. Even though the X-Men could have noticed that the bodies were not remotely human, with pointed ears and furry bodies, the mutant team were too much in repulsed shock to even comprehend anything.

"Professor…are there…are there..?" but Jean could not finish the sentence.

Xavier shook his head as he opened his eyes, sensing for any active brainwaves with his telepathy, sadly stating, "I'm sorry, Jean, but I cannot sense any survivors. They're all dead."

"Oh my God," murmured Rogue, white underneath her makeup, as Remy held her hand soothingly, trying to avert her attention.

Tabitha looked lost as she commented, "If this alternate dimension is supposed to be similar to our Bayville, then I hope what happened here doesn't happen back home."

Roberto then said in a convinced tone, "If it does, we'll be ready for it then."

"Hey, look up ahead! I think we're approaching another part of the city! One that isn't completely destroyed!" exclaimed Piotr. Sure enough, they saw that the road up ahead was less damaged and the X-Men could see the definite contrast of pristine, undamaged buildings up ahead compared to the wasteland they were earlier in.

"Uh…doesn't anybody find it a little odd that there's still no sign of any people around, even in this part of the city?" Sam asked as they all headed forward.

"I guess even though the battle happened in one area, they must have still evacuated the entire joint for everyone's safety, Sammy," Tabitha replied, though she too had a sinking feeling that all was not right.

Logan frowned, his nose twitching from the overwhelming force of…cat hair. It was overpowering, almost as if there was a whole group waiting for them…

"At least in this part, there's a better chance that we might be able to find some parts for the alternator," Forge said eagerly.

"**_HALT! Stay where you are, you freaks!_**" roared a bass voice through a megaphone. The X-Men's heads snapped up as Logan cursed inwardly.

Standing up ahead in an effective barricade was a huge army of anthropomorphic cat beings, clearly sentient and human-like with upright positions and varying each in size, looks, build and fur color. Unfortunately, they did not appear to be the least bit friendly. All of them were dressed in black riot gear, complete with black, bulletproof vests, black helmets with clear, protective face-guards and a simple cache of weaponry and batons lashed to their belts. Some where holding up clear, plastic shields, all with the label "Enforcers" painted upon them while others were in kneeling stances, aiming their guns and rifles directly at all of the mutants. A back-line of additional cat officers were behind the front row, ducking behind the protective blockades of their Enforcer cars, aiming several very-nasty looking bazookas at the X-Men. And Beast and Storm then noticed upon the roofs of the surrounding buildings were trained snipers, aiming their targeting, red, telltale lasers from their deadly, military sniper rifles at the students, pelting them with the red dots of possible death. And to top it all off, in the sky, hovering noisily, were five metal, high-tech Blackhawk helicopters, their turrets loaded with armor-piercing machine guns, rocket pods and Hellfire air-to-ground missiles, all of the pilots trained directly upon Xavier and his family.

The X-Men were directly face-to-face with an arsenal of cat soldiers.

"Oh no," muttered Bobby, his eyes wide.

"We're in trouble," whimpered Jamie as he held to Hank tightly.

"Oh my gosh!" Forge marveled, "This world doesn't have humans! It's filled with…**_cats_**! It's cats! Cats must have been evolved as the dominant species of this dimension instead of humans! Oh wow, how groovy is this! My alternator really has some surprises!"

Scott then snapped angrily and sarcastically at the inventor, "Forgive me if I fail to share your enthusiasm when we're about to be **fired upon**, Forge!"

Meanwhile, the leader of the army, a tall, impressively muscled, dark-brown cat with a square jaw and black moustache yelled his order at the mutant teams through the megaphone in his hand. He was wearing a light-blue trench-coat over his plainclothes cop apparel.

"**_THIS IS YOUR LAST WARNING, YOU ABOMINATIONS! SURRENDER AND LIE DOWN ON THE GROUND WITH YOUR HANDS WHERE WE CAN SEE THEM FOR ELSE THE ENFORCERS WILL HAVE NO CHOICE BUT TO ATTACK!_**" the cat chief yelled in an impatient tone.

"Charles…" Ororo murmured worriedly.

Professor Xavier (bless him), tried to reason as he called back to the cat as loudly as he could, "Please! We mean no harm !"

"Enforcers, **_OPEN FIRE!_**" barked the leader, now immediately springing into action as he saw that Xavier wasn't going to comply with his demands. Upon cue, the air was torn asunder as thousands upon thousands of bullets ripped through the serenity. Jean managed to quickly place a telekinetic force-field again all around the X-Men, but unfortunately, she was not able to do it fast enough.

"AAAAA!" screamed Sam and Amara as the snipers' bullets managed to go through and strike the both of them before Jean could halt their trajectory. Sam felt the blood run down his arm almost immediately as the bullet went right through his shoulder, leaving a bloody exit wound. Amara was crying in pain as she collapsed on her side, her left thigh now growing a rose of red through her pant leg; the bullet, unable to come out, was now embedded into her hip bone, and the agony was excruciating, leaving the mutant teen unable to stand.

"Sammy!" Tabitha cried out in worry as Beast hurriedly picked up Amara protectively. Now the helicopters joined in on the fracas as they each fired a single homing rocket directly upon the bubble, the explosions and searing heat rocking the very ground they were standing on, obliterating the pavement into fiery charcoal and ash, but Jean thankfully managed to keep up the barrier, though barely.

"I…can't…keep this up!" she hissed in pain as the assault began to intensify, the projectiles bouncing off the orb of force.

Cyclops immediately went into full X-Man mode as he readied his visor and shot down a section of a nearby building, causing it to slightly collapse from the beam of optic energy. The snipers close-by immediately backed off as the roof began to quiver and crumble, fearful of falling as some of the Enforcers below immediately ceased firing as they scattered, avoiding the rainfall of crushing rock and stone.

"X-Men: Deflect and Sabotage!" he ordered as the X-Men leader did the same to the other buildings where the snipers resided.

Shadowcat and Lockheed immediately held on to Nightcrawler as he teleported all three of them in a plume of black, smoky brimstone. With another _poof_, both of the X-Men and the dragon teleported and appeared directly inside the cockpit of one of the helicopters, and immediately at the sight, the cat quivered in fear as he futilely shielded his body with his hands, cowering and pleading, "Get away from me!"

Wordlessly, Shadowcat phased her hand through the control panel of the helicopter, and immediately, the electronic guiding and weapon systems sparked and shorted out madly, leaving the complete, complex circuitry of the helicopter in a useless, smoking heap. Now the helicopter could not fire its weapons upon the X-Men. Kurt grabbed Lockheed and Kitty as he teleported to the next helicopter, and they repeated the process until all five Blackhawks were safely out of commission with no harm to the pilots (and with Lockheed actually toasting the controls of the last chopper and setting it ablaze). Finished, Nightcrawler teleported back down inside the bubble.

Storm meanwhile managed to summon a sudden windstorm of snow and hail, the winds and air dropping to artic temperatures and howling speeds as the Enforcers immediately were subjected to the harsh winds of sleet and ice, the sudden change immediately catching some off-guard and causing a very noticeable distraction. With the ice and snow blowing painfully against their faces, many of the officers could not even manage to look ahead to aim and fire their firearms as they ceased their attack and tried to protect themselves from the pounding of the freakish weather change.

Amara, despite her injuries, then managed to weakly summon an underground well of lava directly beneath the streets where the cat army was standing, and to the kats' horrors, the floor underneath them began to quake and shake madly with moderate tremors as pools of molten, red rock began spewing out of the cracked pavement, sending many of them into a panic as they nimbly avoided from getting burned. Now the army were all too busy trying to avoid the attacks, much less able to shoot at the X-Men. Professor Xavier then noticed the lull, and Logan, seizing the opportunity, ordered everyone as loudly as he could.

"**_EVERYONE, RUN! RUN BACK!_**" Storm took rein of guiding the Professor's wheelchair as Piotr carried the injured Sam in his arms, and as fast as they could, the X-Men ran for their lives, knowing that they couldn't willingly take on the army with two seriously injured.

"After them!" bellowed the leader as he shot at the X-Men with his .45, but luckily, the bullets bounced off of Piotr's metal skin as he invoked his mutant armor. However, despite the head-start, the cats still chased after them with a vengeance, their weapons drawn and ready to fire.

"They're following us!" gasped Tabitha.

"This'll stop them!" Bobby cried with inspiration as he user his powers to create a solid wall of ice behind them, directly crystallizing in front of the Enforcers' paths. Unfortunately…

"Enforcers, use flamethrowers!" ordered the brown cat, and without much delay, the ice wall melted and collapsed from the searing heat of the portable fire-weapons the officers carried, and before a minute even passed, the Enforcers ensued in the chase again. None of the X-Men spotted Feral taking a strange gun out of his trench-coat pocket before firing upon Beast.

"Yikes! I didn't realize they'd be so prepared!" moaned Bobby.

"Now what do we do! They're gaining! And not all of us are bulletproof!" cried Roberto as he went into power-mode, absorbing the sunlight dying around him as his body became covered with the outline of black and yellow sunspots and solar energy, flying all the meanwhile next to the Professor.

Suddenly, a voice called out, ringing strongly, "Slicer missiles…AWAY!"

To the X-Men amazement, several miniature rockets flew above them in the sky before magnificently deploying into bladed, buzzing chainsaws, propelled directly into the power lines behind them and in front of the stampeding Enforcers. With a bright flash and smoking array of dangerous, electrical discharge, the power lines disconnected and fell upon the Enforcers. With a cry, the cats managed to avoid electrocution, but to their dismayed rage, the crackling power lines were draped all over the area, effectively imprisoning the Enforcers chasing the X-Men and successfully halting them. With so many of the black, thick wires cut down, there wasn't a safe place for the officers to get a foothold or leap clear of their temporary incarceration. The chief of the army roared and cursed in fuming wrath as he shook his fist at the retreating forms of the X-Men disappearing out of sight.

The X-Men, in the meantime, were completely befuddled.

"Where…where did those missiles come from!" gasped Remy, trying hard to ignore the painful hitch in his side from running so hard.

"And now where do we go! We can't stay here forever without being spotted!" commented Ray worriedly.

"I can help you," a voice said, and immediately, the X-Men jumped in automatic defense as he turned to the source of the voice. It was an unknown figure, wearing a tattered, threadbare cloak and cape made out of rough fabric. Though the cloak managed to hide the figure's face from view via a large hood, the X-Men could notice underneath the apparel that the figure was wearing a dirty red-and-blue flight suit, similar to that of a jet pilot. Still, the fact that they could not see the person's face made the X-Men all the more suspicious.

"Who the hell are you, _homme_?" Gambit steely asked as he readied a card.

The figure didn't seem at all threatened as he repeated, "I said I can help you. I know a place where you can hide with me, where you can rest and tend to your wounded."

"Why should we trust you?" Scott asked with narrowed eyes.

"Because I saved you from the Enforcers just now; those were **_my_** slicer-missiles that cut down the power lines. And if I was going to hurt you, I wouldn't even have saved you from the soldiers. And three, if you don't trust me, you will all be killed by Feral and hiskats once they find a way out of those electrical wires."

"I don't sense anything negative from his mind," Professor X said aloud to his students and staff, "And apparently, what choice do we have, X-Men? We will go, stranger. We will trust you. And thank you."

The hooded savior gave a quick nod before dashing through the city with the X-Men following close behind. Over and over through the buildings, the group were led through twists and turns until they finally reached an abandoned parking lot with a large manhole cover leading directly to the sewers in the middle of the blacktop. Nearby was a man-made reservoir and channel, guiding a torrent of dirty water into and through the city. Before any of the X-Men could ask, the male held up a hand in warning, revealing to the mutant teens that it was really a furry paw with black claws.

"Wait! Hold still!" the male figure commanded as he brought out a strange contraption attached to his right wrist and forepaw, aiming it directly at Hank who was still carrying the wounded Amara in his arms. It was a strange, black glove with a metal, square apparatus on top, riddled with complex machinery. Thinking the helper was about to shoot Beast, Wolverine's claws immediately flashed and stopped short at the figure's throat, only a mere centimeter for severing his windpipe. To Logan's surprise (and slight admiration), the hooded unknown didn't even flinch from the sharp edge of the adamantium blades nudging into his neck.

"Drop the gun, bub," Logan snarled.

"Look, I'm not going to shoot them!" the figure snapped heatedly, his heart pounding but still remaining a calm façade, "If you don't let me help your teammates, those Enforcer kats will be able to track you down! Trust me on this!"

Logan looked like he'd rather jump off a cliff than take **that** advice, but Storm placed a hand on Logan's shoulder before saying, "Do whatever you need to."

Without another moment of hesitation, the figure pointed his glove-weapon at Beast and let loose a huge, high-pitched burst of acoustic pulses, the invisible waves dousing Beast and Amara's bodies with invisible yet powerful energy. Though the sonar was too high for most of the students to pick up, Logan was immediately wincing at the unbearable noise and sonar due to his sensitive hearing. Almost immediately, something on Beast's back let loose a dying _fzzzzt_ as it short-circuited into several white, hot sparks and fell off the mutant's blue fur and onto the ground. It was a small, flat metal disc with a miniature biconic antennae on its sides along with the insignia of the Enforcers posted on the surface.

"What!" gasped Jean in shock.

"It's a tracking sensor," the mysterious maverick muttered, close to swearing an oath as he picked it up and showed it to the X-Men, "I somehow expected Feral to be resourceful and cunning enough for this. With my gloveatrix, I was able to locate it and cause it to malfunction temporarily. But we're not out of the woods yet! Can someone throw this into the river next to us?"

Rogue immediately snatched the tracer bug from the enigmatic figure's hand before, with a grunt, tossing it with all of her strength into the concrete reservoir nearby, the sensor barely making a sound as it dropped into the rushing water, immediately being swept away downstream away from their position. Judging from the speeds of the churning river, the tracer would be well onto the other side of the city in a matter of minutes. Satisfied, the strange rescuer then pried open the manhole cover, indicating to the X-Men to get down below and into the sewer system.

"Hurry! We need to get out of sight before we're spotted by the chopper reinforcements! I know of a safe place where we can rest!"

The X-Men had no choice but to follow, with Rogue carrying Professor Xavier with her superhuman strength, gently cradling her mentor in her arms, as she and the rest of the mutant team and Lockheed flew into the tunnels with their guide jumping in last, closing the manhole behind him quickly and discreetly. Without a word, the figure took out a flashlight before guiding the X-Men through the steel maze of pipes.

For about half-hour, the X-Men trudged through the tunnels of waste and dirty, smelly grime until they came to a darkened dead-end leading to a brick wall. Or at least it appeared to be a dead-end…until the maverick managed to pry open a section, pulling it inward like a door and revealing a partially lit cavern. Quickly, the X-Men were led in before the stranger closed the brick-door behind him, hiding them for a temporary but welcome respite. Professor Xavier looked around. It was a large, spacious, underground room, square and cold with lichen-covered brick walls. The floor was clear and dusty, free of debris and impressively stocked with supplies on nearby shelves, laden with food, water, kerosene, blankets, and a book or two. And overhead were several ventilation shafts, bringing in cold yet fresh air from the outside world up above. It may not have been the cleanest place, but it was dry and safe, and that was all the X-Men could ask for now.

"What…whatever is this place?" Ororo wondered aloud, shivering. Being in such a cold, brick-and-concrete chamber underneath the surface and connected to the sewers was hardly comforting, especially since it brutally touched on her claustrophobia. It also reminded her of her failure with helping Evan when he left the X-Men to join the Morlocks in the Bayville.

The secretive kat lit a kerosene lantern with a match as he answered calmly next to the warm glow, "This used to be the basement of the old Enforcer headquarters, an underground stronghold or haven, if you will. The Enforcers were trained that if any innocent civilians or kats unable to defend themselves were caught within the building during a huge attack, they could be herded into here for safety and lockdown, away from any harm. I managed to build a temporary refuge here while I was running away from the Enforcers and located the walls in the sewer leading to this location. With several tools, I managed to hack my way through the barriers and set this basement up as a place to hide."

"You mean we're in the basement of an old police station?" Ray asked incredulously.

The figure's cloaked head cocked to the left in confusion, confessing a bit, "_Police_? I'm not familiar with that term…uh, whoever you are."

Ray then explained, "I guess the best way to put it is that 'police' is a term for _our_ version of the Enforcers. Y'know, from our world."

The figure's eyes narrowed a bit in suspicion, but he sighed, nodding in response to Ray's first question. Apparently, he wasn't really in the mood for lengthy question-and-answer sessions.

"But, comrade…if we're under an Enforcer building, won't we be in danger of being found out? What if someone up above on the surface hears us?" Piotr asked in disbelief.

The hooded stranger then shook his head, saying, "There's not really any possibility of that. This building was condemned a long time ago and reduced to rubble when the new Enforcer building was finished, and as a result, the entire lot has been fenced off and abandoned. Since the plot hadn't been cleared yet of all the remnants of the old Enforcer headquarters, we're literally underneath heavy stone, brick, and rubble, stuff that would literally take weeks to clear out, and as such, no work had ever been assigned to accomplish it. And with the rubble on top, it deters any curious kats away from this area and will muffle any sounds we make from here. So right now, it's safe."

Logan was starting to get a bit irritated, and considering he was being nearly driven crazy by the overwhelming odor of cat hair, he naturally took out his anger on the stranger.

"Care to explain why you're helping us?" he growled, "I don't exactly like the fact that we're practically lost in some strange land with some cloaked hermit who doesn't have the guts to show his face as our only way out of this hellhole."

It was pretty clear that Logan didn't trust the hero who aided them. Though several such as Scott and Jean did agree with the sentiment to not throw cautions to the winds, many of the other X-Men were annoyed at Wolverine's harshness.

"If you don't trust me, you're more than welcome to leave, you know," the figure hissed, baring his fangs before throwing off his tattered cloak and exposing himself to the light of the lantern, "and if you want to know my true identity, I guess it's safe to say that I have nothing else I could damn well lose. After all, I doubt you'd want to rat me out to Feral."

All the X-Men, despite their brief excursion in the city, were shocked as they now fully observed their protective marauder. It was a male, anthropomorphic cat, with reddish-brown fur covering his entire body, tufted cheeks, a black nose, and brown eyes glaring at Wolverine hatefully, resentfully. He was slim, yet it was apparent underneath the torn blue and red G-suit, his body was strong, agile, and had enough lean muscle to ensure that he would do well in hand-to-hand combat. However, he wasn't extraordinarily tall; at best, he was about the same height at Cyclops, and Wolverine and Storm lorded over the kat a bit by a head. The kat had oversized paws as hands and feet, each with five clawed fingers or toes, and Hank was able to notice that the stranger's forepaws were callused with faint black, grease marks, a sure sign that the kat recently worked with motors and engines. However, lacerations and burns, red and cracked with black, dried blood, were all over the kat's body. There was even a piece of flesh taken out of his right ear, giving it a slight roughhousing look, like a fighter. Yet it was his eyes that Xavier noticed the most as disturbing; they were haunted, sleep-deprived, and so full of untold misery.

There was only a brief silence as the X-Men gaped at the revealed kat. Even Logan was taken aback. The male cat-figure just irately crossed his arms and gave the X-Men elder a poisonous glare, his teeth grit and showing dangerously.

"You're a…you're a…a cat," remarked Kitty dumbly.

The vigilante gave Kitty a very irate frown, pointing out, "You know, it's not exactly easy for me to converse with alien life forms too. Ever think about that!"

"But we're not aliens, _mon ami_! We're human!" Remy protested.

"Hu…man?" The kat frowned at the word as he tried the sound with his tongue.

Rogue gave a groan, snapping at her boyfriend, "How dense can ya' be, swamp rat! To _him_, we're aliens and weirdoes! It's pretty apparent that in **_this_** dimension and world, humans don't exist, just like how cats aren't the dominant species back home! So of course we'd be different and strange to _him_, just like how he's different and strange to _us_!"

"So why did you help us?" Scott asked, "How do we know you're not a bad guy?"

The brown cat retorted, "You **don't**, just like how I don't know if **_you_** aliens are the bad guys…but to answer why I decided to help you…I'm just going with my gut. But…it wouldn't have been right to not help you, considering you obviously didn't mean to cause any danger. If you were truly trying to destroy the city like several kats believe, I don't think even you'd be low enough to drag kids into this war over Megakat City and bring them into the crossfire. And despite what I've seen of what you…'humans' can do with those strange powers and abilities you have, I could tell you weren't trying to attack with malicious intent. You were simply trying to defend yourselves with the least amount of violence possible. I mean, even with those powers of yours, I could tell that not a single Enforcer was wiped out in battle. If you were on the wrong side, you wouldn't even have given a damn about the innocent kats you'd hurt and kill in the city. But then again, I can't say I'd care much even if you were trying to reduce this city to rubble. As long as you give Feral and his Enforcers grief, it's fine and dandy with me."

"Feral? Who's Feral?" Jean asked, raising an eyebrow.

"That was the kat who was leading the Enforcer squad that was shooting at you. He's the brown loud-mouth in the trench-coat with the megaphone with the soldiers that tried to shoot you."

"You don't like him very much, do you?" Kurt dryly observed and commented.

The kat's eyes were cold ice as he snarled murderously, "Bingo."

Logan frowned as he grunted, "So is that why you're helping us, bub? Plannin' to win us over and fight some sort of dirty war against Feral and the Enforcers for your own selfishness!"

"Logan!" gasped Ororo.

"Hey, he saved us!" Tabitha stood up angrily, outraged, "If it wasn't for him, a good chunk of us would have been dead!"

The kat just ignored the side commentary as he snapped at Logan, "You know what! The more I talk with you, the more I wish _you_ were the ones with the bullets wounds! At least then I wouldn't be listening you shoot off that big mouth of yours, old man!"

Logan immediately bristled at this insult, snarling and releasing his adamantium claws from his hand with a sharp _snikt_.

"I may be old, but I'm strong enough to teach a little punk like you some manners, hairball!"

The brown-furred vigilante snarled as he readied his clawed hands into a martial stance, undaunted, "I'll back up anything I say with my fists anytime, you freak!"

_STOP THIS!_ Professor X was telepathically roaring this command into both Logan and the stranger's heads, causing the both of them to wince and clutch their temples painfully. The brown kat now glared at Xavier with a mixture of outrage and pure, confused astonishment.

"How…how'd you…?" he stammered, unsure what had just happened.

"We have many gifts and abilities, my friend," Professor X explained in a tired voice, "I am sorry I had to startle you like that, but I did not wish for either you or Logan to be brawling and fighting amongst each other when we have more important matters to think about such as returning back to our world and dimension. And coincidentally, I also wished to thank you for what you did. You rescued us and protected my students, even though you yourself had no reason to trust us and are obviously in hiding. As such, you also may have been caught…but you still managed to risk your safety for us. So thank you for that. And please…do not take what Logan has said personally. He is simply irritated and agitated due to the situation and he is extremely vexed about our students, just like the rest of us are. So I apologize for his behalf."

The brown kat simply glared at Logan, wordlessly, while the grizzled X-Man just returned a glower just as coldly. It was apparent that the two obviously didn't like each other.

"He sure has a funny way of showing gratitude," the kat retorted snidely.

"Hard to be grateful to some obnoxious punk who's getting way too big for his britches," Logan shot back.

"For your information, I'm twenty-eight years of age," the kat snapped back, "I'm hardly one of your 'students', so don't go patronizing me like I'm some dumb teenager!"

Jean's jaw dropped in shock as she repeated incredulously, "You're…you're _twenty-eight_! But…but you look so young! And you're about the same height as I am! I mean, it would be so easy to peg you as a college student!"

"I guess my kind's physiology is different from your kind's physiology," the kat replied back emotionlessly as he turned away from Logan, his arms crossed over his chest and G-suit. Bobby then decided to ask the furred outcast a question.

"Um…Mr. Cat, sir? How do you know so much about those…'Enforcers'?" Bobby asked hesitantly, nearly stumbling on the foreign term.

"I used to be one, before Feral kicked me and…"

At this, the kat choked, hot tears threatening to leak out of his eyes and gaining a slight stranglehold on his throat and windpipe, filled to the brim with coursing, angry rage and grief. Jean and Professor Xavier looked on with twinges of pity and sadness as they could sense the turmoil and anguish in the creature's mind, and it made the both of them feel all the more touched and pained at their savior.

"…before Feral kicked me and Chance off the team and sent us to be junkyard kats at the salvage yard."

"Chance? Who's Chance?" Roberto piped up, curious at that additional tidbit of information.

The kat's eyes hardened defensively as he hissed abruptly, "None of your damn business!"

Roberto was troubled at the look of killing rage, and some of the X-Men grew even more wary of the stranger now.

Jamie's eyes then widened as the pieces fell into place. Holy schamoley, it all made sense now! Megakat City, the Enforcers, Feral, Chance…the young Multiple then knew, without any doubt, who the kat was in front of them.

"Oh my God!" Jamie gasped out loud as he stared at the cat in awe, "I thought I recognized you! You're Jake Clawson, also known as 'Razor' of the SWAT Kats!"

**Author's note: Yep, asha-man72 and Sparky Genocide got it! The X-Men are now in the SWAT Kats universe (hey, it was a pretty popular cartoon back in the 90s)! Tune in next Friday for Jake's "Tale of Woe" as Jake learns more about the X-Men and their world while Jaime and his friends learn a very tragic past. Until then, read and review!**


	3. Tale of Woe

**Author's note: Wow, I got so many reviews! Thank you everyone! Special hugs for Red Witch, Sparky Genocide, asha-man72, Theodore Hawkwood, L1701E, Raliena, GothikStrawberry, and Prophet-Song! Reviews make my day, you know! And special thanks to asha-man72 for pointing out the mistake of spelling "Jamie" with "Jaime"! ACK! I'll fix that in the earlier chapters eventually, but for now, I hope you all enjoy this chapter (that is, if you don't try to shoot me first!)**

**CHAPTER 3: Tale of Woe**

Kurt then also gasped upon the revelation the minute it left Jamie's lips, muttering in shock, "_Mein Gott!_"

Jake suddenly had the most peculiar look on his face, and Jamie wasn't sure he would ever forget it. It was an odd yet brilliant mixture of horror, fear, confusion…and anger. And the anger was now starting to manifest into the primary feeling coursing through the kat's mind. Before anyone could stop him, Jake growled with an animalistic pitch, untamed and dangerous, as he rushed immediately towards the young adolescent and grabbed him roughly by the collar, and Jamie whimpered under the wrathful gaze of suspicion from Jake's glowing eyes.

"How the hell did you know my identity?" Jake rumbled roughly. Jamie was too frightened to even answer as he looked into the pools of anger and suspicion in Jake's brown pupils.

"Put him down! **_NOW!_**" Ray snapped warningly, instinctively protective, as he readied his powers and alongside him, Tabitha was forming a miniature energy bomb while Roberto clenched his hand into a fist. Yet Kurt then leapt in front of them in warning, trying to stop his friends from doing anything drastic.

"Wait! Don't hurt Jake! For God's sake, don't!"

"Are you mad? Can't you see he's going to hurt Jamie?" Piotr snapped heatedly, ready to shove Nightcrawler out of the way and grab Jake by the scruff of his furry neck.

Kurt then hurriedly begged them, his hands clasped in front of his body in a pleading manner, "_Keine Chance!_ Jake won't hurt us! He's a good guy, he's a hero! He's just shocked that we know who he really is when we're complete strangers!"

Rogue however, wasn't having it, and she growled while tugging at the fingered-fabric of her gloves while menacingly stalking up to the kat, "Get your mitts off Jamie or the gloves come off, you flea-ridden hairball!"

"Just shut up! All of you! **JUST SHUT UP!**" bellowed Jake, snarling like a rabid, cornered cat, his fangs gleaming. It was pretty clear he was now close to having a mental breakdown due to the fear and stress of it all. He then roughly started shaking Jamie, his voice thick with emotion and rage.

"**HOW THE HELLKATS DID YOU KNOW WHO I WAS? WHO ARE YOU? ARE YOU SPIES FOR DARK KAT? _FOR FERAL?_ TELL ME OR SO HELP ME, I'LL WRING YOUR LITTLE NECK!**"

"That's it!" Rogue warned as she made a move to extend her bare hand towards Jake's furred face, but then Jake automatically nudged the mouth of his glovatrix weapon to the fleshy part of Jamie's neck, right underneath the child's chin, plain for everyone to see. If the weapon discharged a shot, Multiple wouldn't survive.

"Back off!" he threatened, his narrowed eyes darting to Rogue and the others, not taking any chances, "Make any sudden moves, and the kid dies!"

Now the entire team of X-Men, save Storm and Beast and Professor Xavier, all three of whom were tending Amara and Sam, were now incensed and starting to gang up on the kat for the menacing intimidation. Jamie desperately grasped Jake's wrists, begging urgently, "Jake, it's not what you think! We're not spies for Dark Kat or Feral! We're not going to betray you! Please, just trust us!"

"**_Trust you?_** I don't even know you freaks!" Jake pointed out vehemently.

_Kitty, phase through the ground discreetly, without letting Jake know, and extract Jamie from his grip_, Jean telepathically told Kitty in her mind surreptitiously, _once the both of you are clear, we'll be free to restrain him and take him down!_

_No! Kitty, Jean, let Jamie talk to Jake. It would be far better for the long run if we can show that there's no reason to mistrust us, that we are not his enemies,_ Professor Xavier responded as a telepathic intervention.

"But Professor, Jake will, like, **kill **Jamie!" Kitty urgently hissed. The X-Men mentor shook his head, convinced.

_I sensed his mind, Kitty. Despite what he says, Jake will not harm young Multiple._ Regardless of this assurance, Jean, Kitty and Scott were greatly convinced.

Meanwhile, Jake was still trying to keep the rest of the X-Men at bay while, at the same time, maintaining his grip on young Jamie as a hostage. It was an extremely shaky moment, and it could end in a very ugly and messy finale. The brown kat hissed at the child in his claws, "Just who the hell are you all? How is it that you know so damn much about me then?"

Kurt then tried calming Razor down by saying, "Jake, please, for God's sake, don't do anything you or Chance will regret!"

Unfortunately, that seemed to be exactly the wrong thing to say, especially since at the mention of Chance's name, Jake became even more infuriated as he viciously dug the weapon of the glovatrix into Jamie's neck, bruising the adolescent's skin.

Jake repeated, froth building in his mouth, "**_Just who the hell are you?_**"

Jamie was now pained to see angry tears running down Jake's face.

Multiple then truthfully answered, "We're…we're the X-Men, a group of heroes from another…another dimension and, I…we know who you are because…well, where we come from, you and Chance were on a TV show called 'SWAT Kats: the Radical Squadron'. In _our_ world, you two were fantasy heroes of a TV show, and the show displayed all your adventures you had trying to protect Megakat City as a vigilante team. That…that's how I knew. It just came to me: Feral, the Enforcers, the name 'Megakat City', and Chance, your partner…those were all things I remembered from the cartoon when I watched you guys. That's how come I realized who you really were."

Jake desperately tried to look into the kid's eyes to see if Jamie was lying, but the kid was sincerely serious. And that made it all the more harder to Jake to believe, to accept. For several quiet seconds, Jake and Jamie just kept staring at each other in disbelief and awe.

The SWAT Kat was numb with embarrassment and incredulity as he gently let go of the mutant child. Jamie, sputtering from the lessening of pressure on his neck, stumbled back a bit, but he was all right. All the other X-Men in the room slightly relaxed, though Rogue, Remy, and Logan still all looked as if they wanted to beat the snot out of Jake regardless. The kat asked in extreme disbelief, unwilling to take it in, "I…I was a **_TV show character_**?"

The other X-Men were now gaping at Jamie with crinkled brows and wide eyes. They weren't sure if this was funny or downright weird…even by _their_ standards.

Kurt then nodded delicately, emphasizing, "Jamie is right. I remember it too. I watched that show obsessively while growing up. And…if it was any consolation, you guys were pretty popular. 'SWAT Kats' was a pretty big hit for a while. It showed everything about your lives: how you and Chance were friends with Callie Briggs and Felina, Feral's niece, how you two were demoted to the salvage yard and sent to work off the debt for the destruction of the Enforcer building that you were unfairly blamed for, and how you guys protected the city by fighting against villains as masked vigilantes. It…it even showed some private things like how Chance never learned to swim, and how Chance was a fan of the TV show 'Scaredy Kat', and how the both of you loved to eat Mongo chili peppers as a contest."

Jake stiffened; despite the best investigative reports from the news…only he and Chance knew of such trivial facts. Not even Feral and Callie knew of such private in their lives. So if these aliens knew such details about his life, then that meant the things Jamie said about him, about his friends…were true.

"I…I don't believe this," Jake murmured in a daze as his body heavily slumped against the brick wall, allowing him to sit weakly on the floor, his gaze falling on the floor in dead shock.

"_Merde_, could you ever imagine what would happen if **_our_** lives was a TV show?" Remy murmured at the idea. Rogue rolled her eyes at her Cajun boyfriend. **(See Author's notes)**

"Oh yeah right, swamp-rat! You might as well imagine that we're a famous science-fiction fantasy series that's generated millions of adulatin' fans who have nothing better to do than obsess over our adventures while you're already dreaming!"

"Well, it's possible!" Remy defended his belief, "After all, that was what happened when we went to Mojo's dimension, and we found out we were a popular entertainment show in _his_ world!"

"Yeah, and we're in hundreds of comic books, fan websites, merchandise, video games in other dimensions as well," Roberto sarcastically added, "And the TV show about us is called 'X-Men'."

"More like 'The Uncanny X-Men', young Da Costa," Beast smiled half-heartedly as he was tending to Sam's bullet wound rather unsuccessfully, trying his best to stop Sam's bleeding with a torn piece of his sweater.

"How about 'X-Men: Evolution'? It seems to have kind of a ring to it," Bobby piped up eagerly, but Jean swatted her teammate's head in annoyance.

"Stop being so silly! That's the _stupidest_ name I've heard yet! And will you guys stop this? Can't you see it's a little hard for Jake to be hearing this right now?"

Jake was still stunned and morose as he looked at the floor, unsure what to do next. Then whimpering of pain broke the lull in the conversation as Amara was trying to not to wince, tears running down her eyes, as Forge and Ororo were cutting away at her pant leg in order to expose the bullet wound on her outer thigh. It was a gruesome sight. The perfectly, bloody hole was lined with ragged edges of flesh, and though the bleeding had slowed down, the injury was still wet and flowing. And the metal object was still embedded into Amara's hip, and any movement of her left leg caused the shrapnel to excruciatingly jar against her muscle and bone, making it difficult for her to move, much less walk.

"How bad is it?" Amara sobbed in pain.

"Not too bad, but serious nonetheless," Hank sighed as he soon discovered that they needed better materials to help patch up Sam and Amara's injuries from the Enforcers. Sam had the bullet pass right through his body, but it left a messy and large exit wound from his back, and the gaping hole needed to stitched up. Quickly.

"They'll need a hospital," murmured Scott worriedly.

Bobby scoffed, sarcastically pointing out, "Oh yeah, and never mind the fact that we've got hundreds of trigger-happy police cats who wouldn't mind shooting us full of lead before we can get treatment at any hospital in this city we can waltz into, regardless that we're freakish aliens in _this_ dimension!"

"Can't we just heal them or something?" Ray asked in dread, "We could just get Lifeline from the Joes and…!"

Everyone gave Ray a deadpanned look of exasperation. Ray blankly looked back the sea of faces before he then caught on how stupid that suggestion was for obvious reasons.

"Sorry, I forgot," the electric mutant muttered sheepishly, scratching the back of his head in an awkward fashion.

Jake looked on, troubled, at the two injured mutant teenagers before he briskly dashed over to a corner of the room before removing a smelly tarp draped over an odd bundle. With a grunt, the kat pullet out a huge duffel-bag decked in the military colors of black, green, and brown along with (surprisingly) the Enforcer insignia on its sides.

"Here," the kat said gently as he handed Hank the first-aid kit along with some potent medicines, "you can use this military medical kit to help your friends. I'm not sure about your kind's physiology and such, but it's better to risk it than wait for their gunshot wounds to grow worse."

Beast opened the duffel-bag gratefully, and to his relief and delight, some of the medicines were of the same types used back at the X-Mansion in their medical bay back in the human world, especially some of the vital ones such as the antibiotic penicillin and local anesthetics, lidocaine and procaine along with epinephrine. And along with vast, plastic bottles of saline and IV packets, there was an endless plethora of medical supplies such as bandages, sterile pads, gauze, syringes, and even a hemostat and a stethoscope.

"Thank you, my friend," Beast said with infinite thanks as he and Forge dove into the supplies and Storm prepared a syringe of epinephrine to slow down Amara's bleeding.

While Storm and Beast starting using the kit to treat Sam and Amara's gunshot wounds, Jake then narrowed his eyes at Professor Xavier, still suspicious (and who could blame him).

The brown kat then said in a hard voice, "All right…say that for a moment, I was actually dumb enough to accept what the kid, Jamie, told me was true. Say that for the moment, I'll be willing to believe you aren't trying to kill me or are part of some sophisticated plot by Feral or Dark Crud to draw me out into the open with my guard down. Then tell me what in my nine lives are you doing here and who the hell are you people."

"Does that mean you trust us, bub?" Logan rumbled lowly, his arms crossed across his chest.

"Tell me the truth, the whole story, and I'll decide on that. After all, it's a little unfair where I'm standing that you humans seem to know so much about my personal life, and yet I seem to know absolutely zilch on yours," Jake shot back rudely.

"Logan…" Professor Xavier said in a warning tone as he sensed Wolverine stiffening at the kat's comment, preventing another fight from breaking out. In a calm voice, Xavier then narrated to Jake everything he safely could.

For the past half-hour, Jake heard Professor X tell him about the X-Men and their world, on how in their dimension, they too were in the middle of a war of survival back on their planet. Humans and mutants, two separate species born from the same human lineage, grew fearful and abhorrent of each other back on their home planet, Earth, and the X-Men were a team the Professor created to establish peace between both groups. From what the awed Jake could comprehend, the mutant race were humans born of the genetic ability to do what normal _homo sapiens_ could not, blessing and cursing them with great powers, some of which Jake could not even imagine were even possible.

Razor then also learned each of the individual members of the X-Men, their names, the aliases, and their respective powers. He learned of the structure of the team, with the main X-Men team being separate from the lesser-trained and younger team members, the New Mutants. Even though he had witnessed some of these things during the battle of the Enforcers back at the city hours ago, it was still a wondrous and mystifying sight to see such displays up close and in detail. Jake was especially awed with the mutant powers of Storm, Forge, Bezerker, Rogue, and surprisingly enough, Multiple. Jake even managed to let out a suppressed chuckle when he learned that Lockheed was not a mutant but actually Kitty's pet, baby dragon. The smile on his face actually uplifted Jake and made him seem more softened, more human, a sure reminiscence of Jake's happier times.

Professor X then told Jake more about the war, the one that the X-Men were directly in the middle of and their purpose and role in the battle of survival. Jake listened and learned about the Hellfire Club, Magneto, Trask and the Sentinels, and the various groups of anti-mutant propaganda from Creed and his Friends of Humanity to the Stryker and the Purifiers to the Church of Humanity to H.A.T.E. Razor frowned as he heard this, not sure if he was going to completely take the Professor's biased opinion as the entire truth, but for now, the sage mentor seemed sincere and honest enough.

Razor was quiet as the Professor finished his tale. It was easy to declare it all as pure fantasy, something that couldn't possibly be real. Yet throughout all his times as a SWAT Kat, Razor had seen and witnessed things much, much odder than this. He sighed before replying, "To tell you X-Men the truth, I don't know what to believe anymore. I mean, can't you see where I'm standing? You're asking me to go along with the idea that there are parallel universes opposed to mine, that there are other worlds out there and that by some sort of freak accident, you all came here to my dimension. It's a little too much to take in at once. Yet…one thing I can say for certain is that none of you appear to be evil and a threat to national security. So I'll believe you when you say you guys aren't meant to cause any danger and just want to find a way back to your own world again. You aren't evil. You're annoying pains-in-the-tail, yes…but not evil."

Logan didn't miss the snide smirk Jake shot directly at him when he added that last part, and he had to furiously remind himself that for the kids' sakes to not overreact to the person who helped saved their lives.

Bobby then asked, "Hey, do you know where we can find some of the parts Forge needs for the alternator? Maybe you can help lead us to some lab or some research facility that has enough advanced technology stuff that we can easily use to fix our only ticket back home!"

Kurt was deeply thinking before the idea came to him, blurting out loud, "_Mein Gott!_ Wait a minute! There **_is_** a place! Jake, can you lead us to Puma-Dyne?"

The kat's eyes widened as he exclaimed in surprise, "Holy kats! How'd you know about...?"

Remy then smirked, "Kurt and Jamie watched the TV show, remember, _homme_? I guess it might have shown the SWAT Kats escapades there, no?"

Jake shot Kurt a disconcerted look before he shook his head, saying, "It's too risky, though. With Feral and his Enforcers patrolling Megakat City and being on the lookout for us, to go out now just when those Enforcers are still geared up from fighting you X-Men would endanger everyone. Not to mention Dark Kat and his 'Invincible Alliance of Evil' would have gotten wind of this by now and would also be on the lookout for you guys…and for me."

Ororo then persisted, "But there is a chance that institution can help us, isn't there? There's a chance we could all be safe there and seek the help we could get, for both the students and for the alternator device that can bring us back home."

Razor nodded half-heartedly.

"Can you help us then? Could you show us the way there?" begged Jean, "Please, Jake, we need help, and if left untreated, Sam and Amara could possibly die. And we need to go back home. Will you help us?"

"Jake, please? We need help, and we can't depend on anyone else," Jamie added with puppy-dog eyes. Lockheed, in a very rare display of affection, then whimpered in its lizard-like raspy growling as it flew down next to Jake and caressed its head against the kat's legs, nuzzling against the SWAT Kat pleadingly.

Jake didn't say anything as he looked at Jean, looked at the X-Men, and then looked at the injured Sam and Amara. He didn't want to get further involved. He didn't want to put himself back on the line for these strangers. Why the hell did he even help them in the first place? Why didn't he just ignore their plight and tell himself that it was no concern of his?

Jake felt himself mentally kicking his own rear-end for his earlier, brash, stupidity.

With the smallest of movements, Jake nodded, saying shortly, "We'll leave in the early morning, before dawn."

"Thank you, Jake," Professor Xavier said gratefully as the relieved X-Men smiled back at the SWAT Kat. Razor then turned to Multiple.

"And Jamie…I'm…I'm sorry. I didn't mean to grab you like that earlier, to threaten you," Jake humbly and gently apologized.

Jamie nodded, automatically forgiving, but then he asked hesitantly, "Jake, where's…where's Chance?"

Jake's face fell at this question, his eyes glazed with the look of a lost, homeless, and helpless child. Scott then leaned over and whispered to Kurt, "Who's Chance?"

Kurt, having an inkling of what happened, replied sorrowfully, "Chance was another SWAT Kat, Jake's partner in crime-fighting. In the cartoon, both he and Chance fought together against the bad guys to protect this city as a vigilante team. They're like the X-Men, but they use gadgets and weaponry instead of mutant powers, and it's just the two of them…or at least it used to be."

Jean felt tears spring up to her green eyes when she too guessed the truth, remembering how she and the Professor sensed Jake's mind earlier.

Jake then let out a strangled sob from his throat before he choked out his answer, not bothering to look at Jamie.

"Chance is dead."

Kurt felt his pity and sadness for Jake increase ten-fold as he murmured, "Dear Father in heaven…"

"Goddess," whispered Ororo to herself instinctively. Even though she had never watched the show or have known much about the friendship between Chance and Jake well, the death of any living creature was always a tragedy.

Piotr then knelt down and placed a hand on Jake's right shoulder, kindly saying, "Jake…I'm sorry for your loss. We all are, even though we don't know you very well, and we all really don't have a reason to give grievance. But our condolences to you…"

"I don't need your pity," Jake said coldly as he lightly brushed off Piotr's hand from his shoulder, "And even if I _did_, you strangers are the _only_ ones, which makes me even more pathetic. Except for Callie and possibly Felina, the rest of Megakat City couldn't care less if Chance and I lived or died. Feral made sure of that."

Roberto seated himself on the floor, his legs crossed Indian-sitting style, before asking gently, "What exactly happened, Jake? Was Chance killed by one of your enemies, one of those bad guys that were always trying to destroy or rule over the city?"

Jake paused a bit, not sure if he was entirely comfortable with baring his soul to a group of completely alien life-forms from another dimension. The SWAT Kat was obviously wrestling with the decision, frowning at the thought of trusting the X-Men. The mutants respectfully waited in silence.

Jake then spoke, hot tears welling up in his eyes, as he spoke, the memories suddenly ruthlessly playing through his head like a demented video player…

_"Missiles…AWAY!" shouted Razor as the Turbokat jet fired off a volley of missiles directly at the huge, gargantuan mummies controlled by Pastmaster. The yellow torpedoes, stenciled with the message, "With Love, From Razor" in black spray-paint hurled themselves at the bandaged behemoths, exploding on contact with a fury of power. Yet to Razor and T-Bone's dismay, the mummies barely had a scratch on them as they continued to charge directly for the city, demolishing everything they could with their massive strength. Even the arsenal of the Enforcer jets and tanks weren't helping much._

_"Holy kats! It didn't even phase them! The Pastmaster and Dark Crud must be using another power source than the pyramid to control these things!" gasped T-Bone as he narrowly avoided the iron mace of one mummy sentinel._

_"Nothing's working!" moaned Razor, checking the list of missiles leftover, only to find that they had exhausted their entire supply, "The spider-chain missiles, the bolo missiles, the drop tops, the banshee missiles, the Turbo blades…we used **everything!** And yet nothing works! The Metallikats couldn't even be knocked over, and Dr. Viper's mutated vines that are sprouting from the city and tearing apart the buildings couldn't ever be scratched from the piranha missiles we built!"_

_"It's like Dark Kat and his goons got some sort of invincibility power-up, like in those video games we play!" cursed T-Bone, "Fur and tail, things can't get much worse!"_

_Like clockwork, the engines of the Turbokat suddenly died, ceasing their ascent in the skies, and along with it died every single computer and electronic device in the jet. Without any propulsion, the Turbokat toppled like a stone._

_"Quick, bail out!" T-Bone yelled despite the increasing G-forces of free-fall._

_"I can't! Everything's jammed! And I don't know how!" cried out Razor in panic, baffled at the sudden lack of response from the jet's computer. Undaunted, Chance leaned back and punched through the glass covering of the jet, his hand scratched and bleeding, leaving a gaping hole though the roof big enough for T-Bone and Razor to pull themselves out before using their grappling hooks from their glovatrix apparatuses to snag onto a nearby building safely. T-Bone mourned for the loss as he helplessly watched the Turbokat crash into the ground, exploding on contact and disappearing in a flaming whirlwind. From a distance, Razor growled as he spotted the kat, Hard-Drive, gleefully throwing the SWAT Kats an obscene gesture while holding on the Vertigo Beam, the same weapon Turmoil used to render jets useless. No surprise how Hard-Drive used it on the Turbokat, and with Dark-Kat's warped genius, it wouldn't have been difficult to build an entirely improved and more effective model than the one the SWAT Kats defeated when fighting against Turmoil._

_T-Bone then cursed as he pointed down to the ground. There, Dark Kat was holding the Enforcers at bay, his creeplings overwhelming the Enforcers by the hundreds, despite their small size and weak strengths. For every one Enforcer trying to fight Dark Kat, at least five or six creeplings were keeping the officers busy, latching on to the kats' legs and arms, biting and scratching. Commander Feral, his niece Felina, Lieutenant Snow and several others were bravely trying to make their way through the sea of mutated servants. Dark Kat, meanwhile, was trying to hold Deputy Mayor Callie Briggs as a hostage, his arm in a chokehold around the female kat's windpipe, nearly strangling her._

_"Let go of me, you jerk!" yelled Callie as she tried to claw and fight her way out of Dark Kat's arm, but the purple demon-kat was too strong for her. Dark Kat sneered as he took out a remote-control device from the folds of his cloak. Razor noticed it, and so did T-Bone who was started to become incredibly incensed at the sight of Callie being taken hostage._

_"What the hell is Dark Kat planning? In the middle of the city? In front of all the Enforcers?" asked T-Bone is disbelief._

_"Nothing good! We got to get Callie and that remote away from Dark Crud!" Razor yelled._

_With that, Dark Kat was about to press the button to detonate the bombs he had his creeplings place around the city while the rest of the Enforcers were being kept busy by the forces of the Metallikats, the Pastmaster, and Dr. Viper when he heard a roar of two battle-cries above him. Before he could react, Razor and T-Bone collided with Dark Kat, brawling. Razor tried to keep Dark Kat busy with several missiles from his glovatrix while T-Bone managed to carry Callie out of danger._

_"You all right, Ms. Briggs?" T-Bone asked worriedly._

_"I'm fine!" coughed Callie roughly, air getting into her lungs, "Just get Dark Kat!"_

_Razor screamed as Dark Kat removed a hidden blade from his cane and caught the SWAT Kat in his side while dodging a flying kick from the vigilante. Razor fell to the ground in pain, his side severely lacerated and cut like butter from a hot knife, the blood pouring freely. Dark Kat then tried to push the button again, but a charging head-butt directly into his sternum stopped him._

_"You'll pay for what you did to my buddy!" snarled Chance as he exchanged blows with his nemesis, using every martial technique and every ounce of strength in his body to attack the purple, cloaked kat, doing everything he could to prevent Dark Kat from even having a moment of respite to detonate whatever the hell he was planning._

_Commander Feral then shouted into his police radio, focusing in on the unique Enforcer radio-transmission frequency, "Snipers! Do you copy? Do you have a clear shot?"_

_One lone kat in black from a building afar answered, "Sniper-Theta, Sir. I'm the only one who could make it to his post! The creeplings and the Metallikats either killed the others or kept them busy from doing their duty, Sir!"_

_"Do you have a clear shot?"_

_"No, I don't!" whispered Sniper-Theta, nearly praying the worst wouldn't happen, "I can't get a clear shot! It's a fifty-fifty chance, Commander! I'll either hit Dark Kat or T-Bone, Sir!"_

_The Enforcer Commander took a brief glimpse at the situation. This was the only chance they had left. If Dark Kat did whatever he was trying to do, the untold consequences would be dire. And if they didn't kill Dark Kat now, it would be too late for another opportunity. Feral then came to a decision._

_"Take the shot!"_

_Sniper-Theta was truly taken aback, his conscience screaming for intervention, as he weakly repeated, "Commander Feral?"_

_"Take the goddamned shot!" Feral repeated, shouting over the transmission._

_Jake heard the words too late as he struggled to rise, one hand holding his bleeding side. He screamed as loudly as he could to T-Bone, "**T-Bone! Get out of there!**"_

_T-Bone was too busy trying to connect an elbow jab into Dark Kat's chest to hear Razor as he suddenly lunged for the remote in Dark Kat's cane. Sniper-Theta pulled the trigger at Dark Kat's head. The bullet left the silenced mouth of the rifle with a soft **pffft**, but for Jake, it was the most terrifying, ground-shattering sound that would forever be engraved into his brain._

_Within a split second, the bullet ravaged the kat's head, burrowing deep into the frontal lobes of the brain, rendering the gray, vital flesh into useless gore and hemorrhaging thousands upon thousands of vessels and cells, snuffing out the kat's consciousness and life in slow, agonizing fire. The kat's eyes went wide and he gurgled weakly, thin streams of blood starting to leak out from behind his eyes and one nostril before his body, going limp, weakly swayed and hovered on his two back paws like a suspended wooden puppet an instant after its strings had been cut._

_With the last choke of life extinguished from his body, T-Bone fell to the floor, dead._

_The sniper had missed Dark Kat…and tragically killed Chance instead._

_Jake heard screaming before he realized that it was his own, the yelling and horrified, tearful wailing of the lost and the devastated. Immediately, the image of T-Bone's body lying on the rocky ground in a growing pool of blood growing from his skull was blurred with tears as Razor howled every profane curse he could think of as he just squatted there, numb, on all four paws, unable to believe it._

_Razor then saw through his blurred vision Dark Kat giving a look of triumph, of boastful cruelty, as he held up the remote in his hand and pressed the lone button. With a click and a beep, the electrical-pulses surged the cold-fusion bombs all over Megakat City, and in the distance, buildings and skyscrapers erupted into a firestorm of chaos, heat, fire, and death. Monuments of the city were turned into ashes in mere seconds. Metal and glass cracked and dissolved like wet sand, crumbling into charred remains from the intense energy released. Whatever Enforcers that were busy trying to evacuate the innocent kats living in the areas of the blast radii were instantly incinerated along with hundreds of thousands of civilian kats, male, female, and kittens. All along various parts of the city were orbs of fiery novas engulfing districts and counties in an instant, the energy flooding through the streets and structures and kats like water, relentless, unstoppable, a powerful force. And like the metaphorical tidal wave, the surge of cold-fusion energy sent much rubble, shrapnel and cars flying due the tremendous force of the explosions. Even outside the blast ranges, kats were still not safe as the very buildings above them crumpled and gave in, raining deadly hail of rock and cement, crushing many in the process._

_It was a pure firestorm of death and destruction. The End Times of Megakat City._

_Yet the screaming, the explosions, the absolute notion of Megakat City being reduced to the bowels of Hell was just a faint bussing to Razor, the blood roaring in his ears unbearably, as he just stared at the fallen, prone form of T-Bone on the ground, unable to do anything. Dark Kat sneered at the broken SWAT Kat, but seeing that he was still surrounded by a mass army of Enforcers, the evil purple kat decided to retreat safely while he still could._

_Yet before Dark Kat and his creeplings managed to retreat into the shadows, Dark Kat crowed arrogantly, "**I win…you have all lost, your city, your people, and now…even one of your precious SWAT Kats. And I shall enjoy watching your kittens and your kittens' kittens live and die under my iron paws next to your cold graves of futility. For this is a new dawn…a dawn of DARK KAT!**"_

_The Enforcers and Feral immediately, in their rage and grief at their lost comrades and family, started trying to shoot at the monster, but before anyone could even comprehend it, Dark Kat disappeared after releasing a tear-gas bomb, and for a few minutes, the Enforcers could do little else except choke and cough from the harsh fumes. When the smoke cleared…Dark Kat, his creeplings, and his alliance were gone, leaving behind their proud handiwork of the ruined parts of the city. Even though Megakat City wasn't **entirely** destroyed…it was bad enough._

_Commander Feral snarled at his surrounding Enforcer officers, "**Damn it, search for Dark Kat! Leave no stone unturned, no alley and passageway unchecked!**"_

_While most of the Enforcers were scurrying about the city, trying to find Dark Kat and his minions, Felina was busy kneeling next to T-Bone's still form, checking for a pulse on his neck. Razor was so busy being cold and paralyzed from witnessing T-Bone getting hurt, he didn't even comprehend what was happening until he heard Feral bark out his order, "Enforcers, seize the SWAT Kat immediately!"_

_Razor snapped back to consciousness, but it was too late as a half-dozen Enforcer kats tackled him to the ground, trying to bodily restrain the vigilante. Razor squirmed and bucked and tried to fight, but there were too many for him to take on at once, and the Enforcer kats were heavy and strong, not easily knocked aside. And due to Razor's deep laceration on his side abdominal, every movement brought such pain, Razor couldn't even brawl to his fullest effort as he was brought to his knees, with his front paws pinned behind his back by two Enforcer officers. Razor kept struggling as he gasped out, "What the hell are you doing? Let me go! **Let me go!** Get an ambulance for T-Bone! He's hurt! Damn it, he's dying! You have to let me help him!"_

_Yet a quick punch to Razor's jaw via Commander Feral ceased Razor's protest as the Commander of the Enforcers gave Razor an absolute look of hateful spite, of blame. Jake felt a trickle of blood leak from his mouth, dribbling down his furred chin. Callie then turned to Feral, outraged._

_"What are you doing? Release Razor **now!**" she cried out._

_Feral however was adamant, at his wits' end as he pointed a quivering, clawed finger at the Deputy Mayor and roared, "Ms. Briggs, for once in your goddamned life, just keep your mouth shut! I'm not letting this vigilante get away and turn his back on his part in this mess, this destruction, this screw-up! **Not this time!** You will not defend him and that dead partner of his and let them go off scot-free! Not anymore! I'll see to it that this remaining piece of lawless trash is locked away and executed for his royal hindrance of this operation!"_

_"**It was not his fault!**" Callie shrieked back._

_"He's not dead! He's not dead!" Razor screamed hoarsely, nearly begging, "Look, I don't care what happens to me, but save T-Bone! Help him! **PLEASE!**"_

_"Lieutenant Feral?" Callie asked softly, almost brokenly, as she turned her attention to the female Enforcer, one shred of hope in her voice. Felina looked at Callie, speechless and white in the face underneath her tawny fur, before she turned her attention to her uncle and his kats and then resting her eyes on Razor. Feline closed her eyes, letting the tears fall down her face, as she shook her head meaningfully._

_"I…I'm so sorry, Razor. He's gone," Felina wept softly, displaying a rare moment of emotion, of weakness. At this, Callie covered her face with her slim paws and started sobbing uncontrollably. Some of the other Enforcers were also displaying signs of grief and sadness, but many of the others, like Commander Feral, were glaring at Razor, blaming him for getting in their way, for causing the devastation of Megakat City. The metropolis would never heal from this event ever again; it was a permanent scar. The commander then barked out to the grizzled Lieutenant Snow, "Stats on the damage!"_

_"Over a hundred-thousands Enforcers lost in the blasts, Sir," Snow's voice shook with grief and loss as he maintained all of his self-control to report, "And more than a million civilians. Though the Enforcer headquarters and the Mayor's building and City Hall have all been saved along with the heart of the city and the suburban areas…by God, Commander, all of downtown and the industrial areas have been destroyed. Wiped out entirely, Sir. We still have fires, broken gas leaks, and remains of Dr. Viper's mutant plants…everything touched by the blasts in unsalvageable. At least forty percent of the city was ravaged."_

_Feral's face went dark, his fists clenched so tightly, the veins in his paws were popping out. He then strode over to the pinned-down Razor and growled with the purest feelings of hate, anger, disgust, and loathing, "Are you happy now, you damned son-of-a-bitch? All this happened because of you! Because of your troublemaking, inconsiderate acts of glory-hogging and reckless heroism! Had you let the Enforcers do their job, none of this would have ever happened! Innocent lives wouldn't have been lost, Dark Kat wouldn't have gotten away, and Megakat city would still be standing if it hadn't been for you and T-Bone! Your misfit heroics cost this city **everything!**"_

_Feral roared this last sentence as he gave a brutal punch to Razor in the stomach, now bubbling and insane with rage. Razor didn't say anything in his defense; no matter now painful the blows were, it still didn't ease the pain in his heart and soul._

_"**Stop this now, Uncle! It wasn't Razor's fault! They were trying to help!**" Felina shouted bravely at the Commander, unable to just stand idly by and watch this any longer. Yet Feral furiously turned on his niece with the utmost warning of not crossing him in this issue._

_"Quiet, Lieutenant! In case you have forgotten, **I** outrank you, and if you say one more word, so help me, I'll throw you off the Enforcers myself!" Felina was shocked as she looked at her uncle in silence. The Enforcer Commander then strode over to T-Bone's fallen body before kneeling down, reaching for his mask. Callie then said with poisonous warning, "Touch that body and I'll have your job, Ulysses Feral!"_

_"I don't think so," Feral retorted back._

_"You better damn well think so! I'm still Deputy Mayor! You take your orders from me!"_

_Feral shot Callie Briggs a determined glare, snarling, "Not for long you will. I'll personally see to that."_

_And before Callie or Razor could stop him, Commander Feral removed T-Bone's mask._

_There was a unanimous, audible gasp as many of the Enforcers, Felina, Commander Feral, and Callie Briggs recognized the dead, peaceful face of Chance Furlong face still unmarred from the blood and bullet wound in his skull, his eyes closed and serene._

_"Ch…Chance?" gasped Callie, threatening to cry again before her eyes went wide in sudden realization as she then stared at Razor, guessing the truth immediately. Razor knew he couldn't take it anymore; he had to act now. With all of his strength, Razor wrenched his paw containing his glovatrix free from the stunned Enforcer's grasp as he then fired a smoke bomb directly on the ground, the plumes of black, thick charcoal immediately surging throughout the area, surprising everyone. Commander Feral was apoplectic as he raged, "**DON'T LET THE VIGILANTE GET AWAY!**"_

_Yet there were apparent sounds of scuffling and punches before the clink of the manhole cover being tossed aside rang lightly amidst the chaos and confusion, and when the smoke was tossed away from the winds, the Enforcers finally discovered Razor was gone, and not too far away, was the exposed entrance into the sewers._

_"**Fan out! Search the sewers and bring that SWAT KAT to justice! I will be damned before I let him get away this time! Enforcers, forget about Dark Kat! Search the city and the sewers for Razor instead, and Lieutenants, arrange a team to search the Megakat salvage yard! That'll be the first place the rat will run too! And as for Razor, Enforcers, I want him DEAD OR ALIVE! Now move, damn it!**"_

_Underground, sprinting as fast as he can from the Enforcers up above, one paw holding his bleeding side, Jake thought angrily through his grief and tears, "Damn you, Feral! I'll get you for this! If it's the last thing I'll ever do, I'll get you for what you did to me! For what you did to Chance!"_

"…and I've been in hiding ever since," Jake said, his breathing ragged and his voice cracking from his resolve breaking into thousands of grieving souls, "With Feral and the Enforcers discovering T-Bone was really Chance Furlong, it didn't take much guessing for them to conclude that his close friend, Jake Clawson, was the second SWAT Kat, Razor. Almost immediately, the Enforcers raided the salvage yard where we used to live, and they discovered the hangar bay and the lab where we worked on the Turbokat and our weapons. It was pretty apparent that I couldn't safely go back to being Jake Clawson, especially since the Enforcers put a bounty on my head and broadcasted it over the entire country to see. Now everyone, including Dark Kat and his men, know my secret identity, and Feral and his Enforcers are still intent on trying to bring me to justice due to the Commander's doggedness, while at the same time, trying their best to prevent the city from being taken over. The entire town has turned against me, treating me as either a famous media sensation or a chance for some kat to get rich quick; since the bounty's well over a million dollars, Enforcer officers, gang members, mafia syndicates, all past criminals alike that me and T-Bone had dealt with before, want to try to get a piece of the proverbial pie. And so I've ran…for the past month or so before you X-Men showed up in the city."

Jake finished his tale, his head bowed, and all that could be heard in the dark, dusty room was a solemn silence of mourning, except from Kurt. The blue, furry mutant was too busy whispering the Serenity Prayer in German while Jamie was watching Jake with two rivers running down his cheeks, crying quietly.

**Author's note: Yep, what Gambit said happened really happened; check out Red Witch's fanfic, "Another Week in the Lives of Mutants". And I'm sorry folks, but that is what will happen. Chance is dead, and it was the hardest thing for me to do. I loved the cartoon so much, and yet I had to plan the story out like this in order for it to work in the future. And if you think things are bleak now, folks, they'll be even bleaker (if that's possible). Next Friday, in the chapter "Side Developments", we will see how Dark Kat and his unholy alliance are faring while dissension and panic ravage the city, especially with the Enforcers and some recurring characters from the SWAT Kats universe. Until then, read and review! Constructive criticism welcome, and if you hate me for killing Chance, I really don't blame you. I actually cried a little when I finished writing this chapter; Chance was one of my favorite characters.**


	4. Side Developments

**CHAPTER 4: Side Developments**

Dark Kat was strangely unsettled and tense as he wildly paced along the main base on his private isle, meticulously searching for any flaws and inspecting every single plan, android, and weapon to the exact minute detail. Yet he maniacally smiled despite his nervousness. His plan was nearing completion, and very soon, none of the Enforcers or any other kat within the entire world would ever be able to stop him from unleashing the glorious force of his master upon the world.

His Alliance of Evil was now reformed and stronger than ever. An unstoppable force, one that would bring any civilization and militia down on their knees, begging for mercy in surrender. His master was right. This would be the ultimate success, the one true task of glory and power that would declare him ruler of Megakat City and indeed, the entire planet. After all, the SWAT Kats were broken and as good as dead, the Enforcers were powerless, and every single kat in the metropolis was quivering in fear of the future war and the final, bloody battle. No one would stop him and the alliance. After all, who would dare stand up and be more of a match for the Metallikats, the Pastmaster, Dr. Viper, Hard Drive, and his massive army of creeplings?

The operation was certainly going to be sweet, the fruit almost too tantalizing to picture. With the artifacts from ancient Egypt the Pastmaster was able to provide for him, Dark Kat, along with his ingenuity, was able to perfect his secret weapon, the one trump card. And true to his promise, Dark Kat requested the energy core provided by his master to energize and animate the mummy behemoths under the Pastmaster's control. The Pastmaster was thrilled that due to the newly acquired power source, his zombie armies were stronger than ever, completely unfazed by the firepower and missiles and weaponry of the Enforcers and the SWAT Kats combined. Hard Drive and his use of the newly updated Vertigo Beam kept any pilot at bay, preventing aerial attacks, and the new ability blessed to the thief was more than enough to ensure Hard Drive's undying loyalty to Dark Kat and his cause. With the help of Dr. Viper's Katalyst-X mutagen, Dark Kat's creeplings were genetically re-engineered to be stronger, swifter, and deadlier. Not only did the catalyst enzymes increase the creeplings' brain capacities and hardened their tough, leathery hides from bullets, the mini-demons now had the ability to absorb energy of any type, making each one practically a miniature yet powerful battery. With such gifts, the creeplings could withstand electricity, heat, nuclear radiation, anything, only to have it strengthen their bodies with endless strength and vitality. Add the creeplings along with the Black Widow robots, powered and strengthened by the nanotechnology integrated into their circuits, Dark Kat was practically invincible. The nanotechnology was truly unique in its entirety; scientists could have spent decades studying a simple motherboard built with it, and yet Dark Kat, eager of the alien mechanisms, gladly used it in all of his weaponry and androids, along with giving it to the Metallikats, making them stronger and sturdier by more than ten-fold. Dark Kat also knew how to play his cards right; when the time came, Dark Kat told Mac and Molly Mange that they were free to exact their revenge on the citizens of Megakat City, starting first with the Deputy Mayor, Callie Briggs. The Metallikats naturally accepted. And with Dr. Viper now strengthened by his vast supply of Katalyst formulas and mutagens, some of which were made of materials not found on Earth, the mad scientist could complete his plans of flora domination of the city and across the globe. And Hard Drive was naturally complacent thanks to the new additions the master had bequeathed him.

Of course, Dark Kat was also no fool. The criminal mastermind and terrorist knew that there was no love and loyalty between nay of them. He had already learned from his spies that the Metallikats were planning to betray him with Dr. Viper once Mac and Molly satisfied their vengeance upon the city. And he also knew the Pastmaster and Dr. Viper had planned to murder everyone in the alliance and rule Megakat City by themselves with a side-unity. Of course, that agreement was also made with the proverbial handshake whilst hiding the daggers behind their backs. Dr. Viper and the Pastmaster would surely betray each other the moment it was no longer useful, but Dark Kat had every intention to still be standing while those two killed each other. Hard Drive, surprisingly, was loyal to Dark Kat and his master. It was he who spied upon the other four members and dutifully reported his findings to Dark Kat and his creeplings, imploring that he wanted nothing more than to serve the master with all of his mind and soul. Such devotion. Such awe-inspiring honor. Too bad the fool will die alongside the rest of them. Not even Dark Kat's creeplings would be spared. Such is necessary for the sacrifice.

After all, there was another reason Dark Kat recreated the Invincible Alliance of Evil. Without those vain, silly pawns even realizing it, it was not about Dark Kat anymore. Those bumbling, mindless soldiers could backstab, plot and fight amongst each other all they liked, but it would be too late when they would finally realized the true plan, their true use for the master. And Dark Kat would be the one kat to have the last laugh.

"Can you not feel it, Master?" Dark Kat gloated in his deep voice, his yellow eyes gleaming with anticipation underneath his red and black cloak, "The time is nearly here. By dawn tomorrow, Megakat City shall crumble and the final revelation shall be made when you come in full glory, displaying your true power for this pitiful world to see!"

Unheard from anyone outside, a voice echoed deep in Dark Kat's mind, its tone riddled with evil and superior darkness.

_Yes, my ever faithful servant. I **can** sense the time and plan near completion. You have served me well, Dark Kat, and soon, you shall be my right paw as I shape this world and all of inhabitants into the true vision of the future and evolution I have pictured it to be. Remember, Dark Kat…you will be king and ruler of a new era, a new world! And all shall tremble at the sound of my name, at **our** names!_

Both Dark Kat and the mysterious voice cackled in wicked glee, their voices harmonious in their laughter of the insane…and of the damned.

-

"**_You can't be serious!_**" Callie Briggs demanded furiously as Commander Feral off-handedly circumvented her and walked out of his office towards the Enforcers main station, with the furious she-kat following behind in protest, her mauve high-heels clicking against the hard-wood floor. The other Enforcers, with Lieutenants Steele, Felina Feral, and Snow leading the multitude of multitasking operations for the city, were trying very hard to ignore the quarrel by putting on the appearance that they were all engrossed in their work. Yet it was impossible. The inevitable explosion was too good to miss out on.

"Believe me, Ms. Briggs, I'm deadly serious. I will not humor your ridiculous notions of retracting the bounty on that malignant little felon, and I will not rest until Dark Kat and his evil alliance are put under maximum security at Alkatraz where they belong. And I **will** personally see to it that Jake Clawson shall be publicly tried and executed for his crimes against the city," Feral replied steely without even turning to face Callie, his attention to the numerous paper reports that had avalanched throughout the Enforcers' headquarters.

"How blind could you possibly be?" Callie raged, her glasses slightly tilted from the anger causing her body to tremble, "You're treating Jake as if he was a criminal, as if he did something wrong! He would never do anything to endanger this town! Jake could help us, help the Enforcers, help the citizens! He's loyal! Call off the bounty and stop hunting him down! Haven't you done enough to him? He just lost his best friend, a kat he cared for like a brother! A kat he grew up with and worked alongside with for years! And you took that away from him! What's wrong with you Feral? Don't you have any remorse of what you did?"

"No, I don't," Feral commented coolly, almost impassively, without even looking up from the papers, "Unless you show me that it is against the law to apprehend vigilantes and mavericks who do not abide by the laws and rules of the system, I still stand by what I have done…nor do I regret it. You expect me to shed a tear over that foolhardy trouble-maker? Don't hold your breath. If I had a second chance, I would have done it all over again, and Furlong's death doesn't change things at all."

"**_How dare you!_** If the tables were turned, Chance Furlong would have done the exact opposite! He would have done anything to make sure the situation wouldn't result in forfeiting your life!"

Feral's voice became even colder and more acidic, as if the bile in his mouth was lacing every word, as he said, "I would advise you to not be so presumptuous around my character if I were you, Ms. Briggs. You think that just because the SWAT Kats have aided the Enforcers on several occasions and have actually been somewhat helpful in dealing with those villains, I would idly turn a blind eye on all the damage and trouble those two kats have caused? You think that just because the SWAT Kats are viewed as heroes, they should be allowed to do whatever they want, whenever they want, and think that they are above the law? Keep in mind, Ms. Briggs, that in this matter, it all comes down to who is for the law and who is against it! And Clawson and Furlong were certainly not for the law while I and my Enforcers are dedicated to uphold it! In short: we're in the right, and the SWAT Kats are not."

Callie now has angry tears in her eyes as she spat viciously, "Furlong is more of an Enforcer than **_you_** ever will be!"

Feral then arched his back straight like a steel rod as he shot of piercing scowl so intense, it would have melted snow instantly. If there was anything Feral hated the most, it was kats taking cheap shots at his pride, of compromising his integrity. The other Enforcers watching this visibly gulped, and Felina, recognizing the warning signs, stepped forward, trying to break up the confrontation.

"Callie, Uncle, please stop this! Fighting and pointing fingers isn't going to make things any better -"

"Lieutenant, **_SHUT UP!_** That's an order!" Feral barked, and the female Enforcer was now staring at her Uncle in an entirely new way, as if she was starting to see a completely different kat rather than the Commander she used to remember. Feral then stared hatefully at Callie as she continued, his voice surprisingly calm despite the sharpened steel underneath.

"Commander Feral, I will request one more time for you to stop trying to prosecute Razor and to grant him refuge and amnesty from this charade of an investigation. Leave him alone, or so help me, I'll do whatever it takes to go over your head and take charge of this particular mess myself."

Feral then had a small smirk of triumph dance across his face. He said his next sentence slowly, clearly enjoying delivering the final blow to the she-kat.

"I don't think you're in any position to make threats, Ms. Briggs, especially since I have just personally seen to it that you no longer hold your position as Deputy Mayor of Megakat City."

"Uncle!" gasped Felina angrily upon hearing this, her eyes wide with shocked outrage on Callie's behalf. Even with the warning glare Ulysses gave her, the Lieutenant was already promising herself that she would do anything to revoke that decision. She knew he wasn't bluffing; Feral never made idle threats.

"What?" Now the color of Callie's face drained away into shocked white, her blood running cold in her veins, not a single muscle in her body twitching due to the force of the Commander's words. She just stood there, her body so still, it was as if she was carved out of ice, as the burly officer clarified again without mercy.

"Do you want me to repeat myself, Ms. Briggs?" Feral said, "I have just said that as of now, you are no longer the Deputy Mayor of Megakat City. All your authority and standings and responsibilities for this city and how it is to deal with Dark Kat and his alliance are now to be made by me, the Commander of the Enforcers. You are hereby suspended from your position, Ms. Briggs…**indefinitely**."

Cold fire flared in Callie's eyes as she growled huskily with her teeth bared, trying her best not to weep, "You can't do this."

Feral's yellow eyes were equally frigid as he shot back in his bass voice with a touch of smugness, "Looks like I just did, and probably all for the better I daresay. After all the times you let those two trouble-making vigilantes shirk away from all the destruction and chaos they caused from their meddling and interference, you deserve a hell of a lot more than being impeached from the city office! Be grateful I went easy on you, Ms. Briggs! It wasn't hard to convince the Council that you were a danger to the Enforcers' investigations, especially since my kats discovered the communicator the SWAT Kats bequeathed to you in your office! You remember, don't you? The one you used to contact Clawson and Furlong whenever trouble reared its ugly head, to have them come running around and flying like careless clowns, like your own pathetic pets?"

"You searched my office? That was private property! You had no right to investigate me!" Callie snapped, shaking slightly.

"I was granted a warrant, and everything was perfectly legal in the matter, Ms. Briggs," Feral stated self-righteously, "And believe me, I had every right to expose you, you hypocrite! You were in league with the SWAT Kats all this time, Ms. Briggs, and as such, the Council found it unlikely that you would be able to neutrally maintain your authority in this matter and have found you incompetent of your duties. For if anything, you're just as responsible for the destruction of Megakat City as those two pathetic excuses of ex-Enforcers were! You supported and encouraged such lawlessness and disregard to everything Megakat City and the Enforcers stood for! As such, I had to do anything to make sure this stops now! You're finished here, Ms. Briggs! **Permanently**. Now remove yourself from the Enforcer premises immediately. You are no longer welcome in my office or with any of the Megakat City Council."

"You've sunk to a new low, Feral! You had no right to do this! And the Megakat City Council would never agree to do this! They would never turn their backs on the SWAT Kats, not after everything Razor and T-Bone did for this city!"

"Believe me, Ms. Briggs, I have every right to do this!" Feral rumbled as he leaned over close to Callie, carrying on stubbornly, "And your so-called 'political allies' have all but deserted you…well, except for that old fool, Mayor Manx, but he was but the sole minority when the Council voted for your termination. After all the deaths and loss Dark Kat caused, you think they would foolishly leave the city's fate into the hands of one, lone ex-Enforcer? A kat who didn't even have enough guts to last as an officer of the law and who still owes the taxpayers millions of dollars for his role in the destruction of the old Enforcers' headquarters? A coward? Give it up, Briggs! The Council knows its only hope to save this city is through me and my team, and as such, they were willing to trust us! And I will see to it that none of the Enforcers will ever give them any reason to doubt them! But it's no surprise the SWAT Kats were able to convince you to join their little fan-club! A pretty she-kat with absolute authority and power in the city, able to turn things around with her little claw? Is that how it works, Mr. Briggs? You help them do a few favors of protecting the city with their little 'heroic' racket by notifying them, and in return, they get to help you look good in front of the public and Council? Not to mention the side benefit of having two little kats to bounce back and forth in your little private harem? I guess I should have guessed it earlier since you've probably laid on your back multiple times to get whatever you...!"

POW!

There was a dead silence as the neighboring Enforcers just stood or sat there, staring in slack-jawed, gaping, wide-eyed silence. The stillness was so intense, you could have sworn that time had virtually stopped in the room. Felina Feral just cursed under her breath.

"Did Ms. Briggs just…?" gaped a stupefied Lieutenant Steele, his mouth wide open like a goldfish, still unwilling to believe it.

"…punch the Commander of the Enforcers directly in the face? Yep," Snow answered, wincing at the thought of how much uglier things were going to be.

Feral shot a look of murderous daggers at the slim, female in front of him while nursing his jaw with one hand. He ran his tongue over his teeth only to taste the familiar coppery taste of blood. Damn, the she-kat was a lot stronger than she looked. Callie had one hell of a right hook. The ex-Deputy Mayor was now glaring at Feral with absolute hate and anger, not even feeling the numbness in her bruised fist. Commander Feral then turned to his Lieutenant niece, uttering a short order.

"Throw her out."

Callie looked like she was going to punch Feral again, and she might have too if the strong Felina didn't tightly grab Callie by the arm and half-dragged, half-walked the former Deputy Mayor out towards the front door, with Feral glaring at her retreating back silently. Callie's face was contorted with indignation, blushing from the humiliation of being knocked off her political standing and left to crash and burn. She could still feel the eyes of every kat in the building watching her as she was led out by Felina. Yet to her slight surprise, the Lieutenant still walked with her, gently, as they went out the exit and a bit off the distance, crossing the street, into the nearby park. Callie collapsed numbly on the stone bench, her hands balled into fists on her knees.

She kept telling herself, _I will not cry, I will not cry, I will not cry…_

"Callie! Lieutenant Feral!" called out an Scottish voice, and Felina looked up to see a haggard, red-faced Mayor Manx running up to them as fast as he could, despite his portly size and his grizzled, whiskered face turning red from the exertion. Manx must have already gotten out of the emergency meetings with the city council early. Manx, panting, stopped before Felina and Callie, but upon seeing the look on Callie's devastated face, his face fell in sorrow.

Manx turned to Felina, asking hesitantly, "Does she…does she know?"

Felina nodded sadly, saying, "The commander just told her before kicking her out of the headquarters."

Manx closed his eyes and just mourned silently. Even though Callie was in league with the SWAT Kats and was ruined lawfully, Mayor Manx would have given anything to veto the verdict. Callie had helped him with his job multiple times, covering his rear for every careless act or cowardly phase to doing half of his responsibilities alongside her own duties. As much as he would have hated to admit it, Callie was more of the Mayor for this town than he ever was. Strange how quickly his priorities changed after the siege from the Invincible Alliance of Evil, but after seeing so many innocent lives lost, Manx matured enough to decide that the welfare of the city was more important than his political image.

"Callie…I…I'm sorry, I tried. I really did," Manx said sorrowfully, sincerely, before carrying on with outrage, "I tried to tell off those blarney-faced fools, but they're all too stubborn and stupid to leave Feral's shadow! They can't do this! I'll turn in my resignation as well! I'll resign as Mayor and give you the job, Callie! It was practically yours anyway! Callie, please, we'll fix this! We'll get Clawson the help he needs!"

"The problem is, we have other difficulties to face off against as well, Mayor Manx," Felina said in a tired voice before she knelt down to the ex-Deputy Mayor and laid a strong paw on Callie's shoulder

"It's not all lost, yet, Callie. We can still fight against all this, and not all the Enforcers think like my Uncle. If…no, **when** Jake comes back, I'll see that I can do whatever I can to ensure the Commander doesn't take Jake to Alkatraz. And we're not finished yet! Not by a long shot! We still have the Enforcers and many willing civilians who volunteered to help bring down Dark Kat and those other scum-balls as much as we can. Dark Kat will see we're not going to just sit down and let him walk all over us! We're gonna fight for this city, for our home! If we go down, we'll go down fighting! Don't give up, all right? It's not as bleak as it looks. And Jake Clawson will come back to help us; he's too noble to turn a deaf ear on all this."

Callie was now sobbing, holding her elbows so tightly, her knuckles were turning white underneath her fur.

"Oh! Oh! Oh! Felina, what if we're wrong? What if Jake _never_ comes back? What if we're **not** strong enough to stop Dark Kat? Megakat City then doesn't stand a chance! And I just want Chance to come back! I just want Jake to come back! They don't deserve to be hurt like this! I just…I just want this to stop! I just wish this never happened, that Jake didn't lose Chance, that everything was back to normal again! Oh! Oh!"

Callie continued to bawl her grief out as Felina and Manx just looked at her grimly, at a loss for words. As much as they both understood the reasons behind Callie's wishful thinking, it was just that. Wishful thinking.

-

"_This is Ann Gora, Kat's Eye News_," a pretty brunette kat with shoulder length hair, make-up, and pale, beige fur reported with a microphone, "_reporting live from Enforcers headquarters of Megakat City. With the destruction of over half of the metropolis due to the forces of Dark Kat and his 'Alliance of Evil' and the threat of future attacks being imminent, the Enforcers are having difficulty resolving this tense conflict of good and evil and their plans in protecting what is left of the city. The President announced today at a Senate hearing in the nation's capital that the government has now sent direct orders regarding that all stand-by reserves of the military, naval fleets, and the Air Force are now to make their way towards Megakat City in hopes of helping Feral stop this united force of darkness once and for all. However, the additional forces may be also due to another hidden agenda, one that requires anything being done in order to stop Dark Kat…**including wiping Megakat City to the ground in an intense war-zone**. The President has conceded to the possibility that should there be no other way, as a last resort, it is better to lose one city than to have the entire world bow down to the likelihood that Dark Kat should ever grow big enough of a threat to rule the entire world through his war and forces. The Senate also has released this statement, saying, 'We have no choice but to view this show-down as the final stand between all kats and the Alliance of Evil. We beg for forgiveness of all those affected by this tragedy for what we must do if there is no choice, for if we cannot destroy Dark Kat as of now, he will never be stopped until he has achieved world domination. And that is something we can never allow…even if it means at the expense of millions of innocent lives'. It is also exceptionally bleak in the city as well. With the bridges destroyed by the Pastmaster's armies and all roads and highways leading out to safety being blocked by Dr. Viper's mutated flora, all kats are trapped with no where else to run. Should the Enforcers and the nation's military fail, the city shall surely be wiped out along with all the cornered, innocent he-kats, she-kats, and kittens that reside here in fear._"

Ann then continued with a serious look on her face as she stared at the camera Johnny K. was filming her with. Johnny was Ann Gora's most faithful and devoted camerakat, never leaving her side as they both sought hot leads and story after story. Johnny just stood there, his orange fur blowing softly in the wind against his purple sweater and khaki shorts as he continued filming the live report as direct feed to the news-van.

"_Commander Feral has recently increased the bounty of Jake Clawson, the infamous ex-Enforcer who had recently been revealed as 'Razor' of the SWAT Kats, much to the delight of many hunters and lawmen and mavericks, kats eager to capture the vigilante and take part of the biggest reward ever offered in the history of the nation. Feral has warned the public that if they acknowledge any whereabouts of Clawson, they are to notify the Enforcers immediately, and to be wary for Clawson has been described as unstable, armed, and extremely dangerous. With the death of his partner, the SWAT Kat 'T-Bone' (a.k.a Chance Furlong, another ex-Enforcer) killed by Dark Kat's hand, Feral warned that it is apparent that Clawson, insane from his grief, has joined forces with Dark Kat in order to seek vengeance on the Enforcers. Feral has been quoted as describing Clawson as 'a hot-headed yet brilliant mechanic with a mind for engineering and mathematics, and as such, it is no wonder that he would use his genius to aid Dark Kat in trying to take control of the city and turning his back on upholding the law, just as he and Furlong had always done before'._"

"_It also has not helped the gravity of this situation that there had been no leads or headway to the mysterious sightings of the strange alien creatures that had a run-in with the Enforcers earlier today. These strange life-forms, heard to refer themselves as 'the X-Men', have been declared a threat to national security, hypothesized by Feral as genetic soldiers created by Dark Kat and his alliance in order to reduce the city to rubble as an additional arsenal. Already, the Enforcers are fearful of the incoming battles to come, for it has been witnessed by many that these aliens are not only trained in battle but that they have strange powers beyond any comprehension. Some can vanish in strange clouds of smoke, others can shoot off energy blasts and deflect bullets and missiles with ease and fly, and one was witnessed to have turned into solid steel. It is apparent that what we are dealing with is a new danger that could possibly further jeopardize Megakat City and Feral has already declared this gathering of life-forms to be working directly for Clawson, for he was last seen aiding these strange abominations, helping them to escape from the Enforcers' pursuit. Feral has directly branded Jake 'Razor' Clawson a traitor to the city and the law, and from this, it will appear that the city will have to agree. Razor is now no longer the fabled SWAT Kat hero before, but now, a mad maverick bent on helping Dark Kat destroy everything we hold dear…and Feral has made it clear that the Enforcers shall not give in to this evil, not without a fight. Reporting live from Megakat City, this is Ann Gora…Kat's Eye news._"

Ann was breathless as soon as she went off the air, and the excitement of her story being seen across the country from coast to coast was thoroughly exhilarating. Already, Kat's Eye News had gotten very generous offers from other news networks in other provinces and countries overseas in order to broadcast the SWAT Kats and the apparent breakthrough over the their true identities. It was like a sickness; every minute detail of Jake Clawson and Chance Furlong's lives were gobbled up by the public in sick obsession, leaving them wanting more and more. The SWAT Kats were plastered, paraded and discussed about everywhere, in every periodical, in every tabloid, in every TV and radio debate, with most of the morbidly curious public really just fixating on Razor and T-Bone as celebrity mania rather than respected, noble heroes. And like any celebrity could always predict, if the public ever enjoyed reading about heroes, it paled in comparison to the vindictiveness of watching them fall from grace even more. And thanks to her news flash, Ann also was recently offered a prime spot as a news reporter on the highly-acclaimed network, KNN, one of, if not the most, prominent news media in the entire world. Thanks to her exposé on the SWAT Kats, Ann now had a very promising and classy breakthrough…one that could shoot her off to new heights she only dared dream about.

"OK, that's a wrap! Be sure to come back here for the next segment for the live coverage we'll be doing for the evening news at eleven, all right, Johnny?" she said in a rush, giddy with the exhilaration of the hot story. Johnny's dark eyes narrowed as he indignantly pushed his dark shades over his brow, leaving them to rest on his furrowed forehead.

"Why? After all, you're just gonna spout off some more of that bullshit and just continue to make the SWAT Kats look bad as always, Ms. Gora," he said with barbed resentment. Ever since the terror Dark Kat had done to destroy parts of the city and upon discovering the secret identities of the SWAT Kats, Commander Feral has put a constitutional Enforcer ban on all media in Megakat City, threatening a gag order and immediate arrest if any news outlet ever tried praising or defending the vigilante Razor. Commander Feral was not going to take the chance of making things more difficult by having the mass public turn against the paramilitary unit, especially since in such a crucial time, the city needed to stand united. Ann and the staff of Kat's Eye News certainly didn't put up much of a fight, and neither did any of the other stations and tabloids. Already, there had been disgusting stories of slander and libel of Jake spreading like wildfire, ranging anywhere from Jake recently robbing banks and committing arson to having a secret wife and illegitimate son who would be expected to grow up in his father's tradition of vigilantism to Jake being a secret spy for Dark Kat for years even **_before_** he and Chance had been expelled from the Enforcers to how Chance and Jake had secretly been lovers and fired by a jealous Feral in some weird, intense love-triangle. It had gotten to the point where Johnny K. was even ashamed to view himself as a part of the media. Not that it mattered much to Ann. Upon hearing this, the female kat shot Johnny a dirty look.

"If you have a problem, go right ahead and say it, Johnny!" Ann snapped curtly, flicking her bangs out of her eyes, "What in the nine lives is the matter with you? What's your problem?"

The camerakat's eyes flashed at the sizing up, the daring challenge, and he exploded at the reporter, "What's my problem? **_What's my problem?_** Gee, Ann, I dunno! Other than the fact that you're being Feral's lackey in trying to bring down the SWAT Kats and dragging their names through the mud like some sick, propaganda trash-heap, everything is fine and hunky-dory with me!"

The male-kat was a bit satisfied in seeing that little shaft hit home as Ann winced, yet she immediately put on a façade of impersonal, stony denial.

"I don't know what you're talking about," Ann replied roughly.

"The hell you don't!" Now the anger, the outrage, the injustice of it all was surging even more over his self-control as Johnny's fur bristled as he literally yelled at Ann directly in her face, their noses just mere inches apart.

Johnny continued, "You know damn well what I'm talking about! What in hellkats is wrong with you? Thanks to you, the public is now turned against Razor! Thanks to you and your damn propaganda, you're just being Feral's pathetic excuse of a rally in order to help him look good while you turn Megakat City against Jake!"

"That's life as a celebrity, Johnny," Ann sputtered in defense lividly, "One minute, the public can adore you, but then do one thing wrong, and the very same kats can turn a complete turn around and hate you for your screw-ups!"

"Oh and I suppose you being a high-and-mighty representative of Kat's Eye News gives you the right to tear Razor apart like this with all your mud-slinging? Get off your damn high horse, Gora! Razor didn't make any kind of mistake other than not preventing T-Bone from getting killed and helping this city of ingrates! Feral's just being a biased ass-hole like he always was! You know as well as I do that Feral is relishing in this glory since it was his one chance to make the SWAT Kats look bad in front of the Enforcers, and **_you're_** helping him!"

"I'm a news reporter, Johnny, and in case you've forgotten, it's my job to report the truth, the truth every kat in the country has a right to know!"

"The _truth_, yes, **_not_** slanderous hype," Johnny clarified, his voice now hard, "and from what I can see, you're no better than Dark Kat and his henchkats! How could you do this to Razor, Ann? How could you do this to T-Bone as well? They helped protect this city more times than I can count on my paws, they rescued us from being shot into space when we were being attacked by the Ci-Kat-A, and let's also not forget the SWAT Kats personally went down Tiger Conklin's mines to save us from the scorpion monsters! If it wasn't for them, we wouldn't even be here, and neither would this city! And look at how you're repaying them! **_This is how you're honoring the dedicated work and heroism they did for all of us?_** Trashing their names and reputations, turning the public against them, and siding with Commander Feral of all kats? Ye Gods, Gora, you're making things worse for Jake! Can't you see that? You're ruining his life, his credibility! Jake can never live a normal life now! He'll forever be hounded because of this! And all because you don't want to miss out on the chance to make yourself look classy and go on the breakthrough of all news reports in the history of Megakat City!"

Ann now had her face flushed with a brilliant crimson color as she heatedly shot back sharply, "Hey, wake up and smell the catnip, Johnny! If I didn't get to that news story first, some other kat reporter would have done it anyway! And besides, how do we know Razor hasn't joined with Dark Kat anyway? You've read the testimonies by the Enforcers and Feral on how furious Jake was when Chance was killed, how he'd do anything to get back at Feral since he blames him for T-Bone's death! You've even read the reports on how he lead those X-Men away to safety after they attacked the Enforcers and were trying to storm through the blockade Feral set up against any invaders! Those Enforcers were lucky to escape with their lives! For all we know, Razor really did betray us to the 'Invincible Alliance of Evil'!"

Johnny's face, twisted in fury and anger, leaned in closer to Ann's, hissing dangerously, as if the female reporter had crossed a very big line.

"**That** is a load of crap…and **you** know it. Jake Clawson did nothing to deserve this."

"I am not walking away from the biggest story of the city, of this nation!"

"I swear, I don't even know who you are anymore," Johnny growled with disgust.

Ann just smoothly sidelined the barb as she coldly said to Johnny, "This discussion's over, and from where I see, you have two choices: you can either take your tail off Kat's Eye News and find yourself another job as a low-level camera lackey, or you can take this tape over to Nick in editing for the later segment tonight back at the station. It's your call, and until then…get back to the news van where you belong."

Ann turned her back to Johnny abruptly so that she wouldn't see the look of hurt and shocked resentment in her camerakat's eyes nor would Johnny be able to see the glint of the tears welling up in hers. Johnny threw the reporter a final glare before stomping off heatedly to the news van. With him walking away sulkily, it was just Ann by herself, standing lifelessly next to the Enforcers' headquarters and crying softly, running her make-up and mascara down her face and whiskers.

As outraged and insulted as she was from Johnny's outburst, Ann wept because, deep down, she knew he was right.

She _was_ no better than Dark Kat.

**Author's Notes: Hope you guys enjoyed this chapter! And as to the identity of Dark Kat's master, that's for me to know and for you to find out! But don't worry! You'll find out soon enough! And until that chapter, I may drop of a single hint or two, seeing if someone can spot it. Until next Friday, read and review! And in the next chapter, we'll see Jake and the X-Men again as they head towards Puma-Dyne to get help, but the mystery shall deepen in the chapter, "Fight or Flight?" Until next Friday, enjoy!**


	5. Flight or Fight?

**Author's notes: I'm so sorry I'm late with this chapter! I just started a new job, so I couldn't stay up until past morning to type this chapter, and I had to go through several rewrites before I was satisfied with it! But enjoy this new chapter!**

**CHAPTER 5: Flight or Fight?**

"Crud, Puma-Dyne's surrounded with Enforcers!" Jake hissed as he peeked out of the shadows briefly to spot from his position that the entire technological research lab was indeed en massed with hordes and hordes of the Enforcer soldiers and even a couple of armored tanks. Commander Feral was no one's fool. All of the police-kats were armed with guns and infrared visors, and the tanks were built with layers and layers of reinforced, insulated steel, material that would be resistant to energy and electricity and thus, providing a bigger obstacle for Professor Xavier and his X-Men. After the excursion with the mutant teenagers, the Enforcers were better prepared to deal with the powers thrown their way, and had Jake not been on the run, he would have slightly marveled at Feral's intuition and cunning.

Professor Xavier sighed in disappointment, "I should have expected such a set-back. After the Commander discovered that you were assisting us, they would naturally cover all the possible bases and havens you could think of that would be sufficient enough to provide temporary shelter and relief, especially considering the Enforcers know two of our own are injured and that we cannot achieve much of a defense against their armed forces or travel much of a distance for escape."

"So now what do we do? We can't fix the alternator without the advanced technology and materials we can scourge up over at the research lab!" Forge groaned softly to himself as Jake huddled back with the X-Men, trying to break the news to them. It was about 3:00 in the morning, and it was still dark out, but the dimness and shadows provided excellent cover for the mutants and the maverick, and Jake insisted they hide out of the rooftops of the surrounding buildings and skyscrapers. Not only was it further away from the glowing lights of the city down below, but since there were no helicopters and jets flying in the dead of night, it was safer and much easier to make an escape through the air rather than through the crowded and limited streets and alleys.

"And it's getting worse, I'm afraid. Amara needs surgery to remove the bullet from her hip, or else she will continue to grow deteriorate. She has already lost enough blood as it is," Ororo said worriedly as she wiped the girl's sweaty brow with her smooth palm. Amara looked close to passing out as the blood started to pour a little more steadily from her bullet wound.

"Then that eliminates the possibility of using my telepathy to put the Enforcers to an induced state of sleep," Xavier commented gravely, "Even if I did use my power, the fact that these beings are of an entirely different species altogether would make it risky. The physiology and neurological patterns of cats are far different from the human being, and the effect of my mutant powers would be highly unpredictable. If I used my power too much, I could kill all of the Enforcers accidentally. And if I was too weak in trying to use my telepathic-imprints, it would be enough to alert them that something was off and suspect our presence. And even if the Enforcers were asleep, the lack of radio communications from their parts would arouse more suspicion and cause Feral and his Enforcers to investigate."

"And even if ya did put all those Enforcer yahoos to sleep, that wouldn't do any good for Amara! She needs to be treated now! We can't just wait around for Forge to build the alternator to send us back home! We can't risk it!" Rogue added, nearly distraught.

"But where else can we go! We can't let Amara die! There's got to be some other place we can go! Someplace that has all the stuff for Forge to use and a place that can get medical aid for Amara!" Sam said. Despite the bullet lesion in his shoulder, the first aid kit was sufficient enough to treat his injury, and after a few hours worth of rest, Cannonball managed to gain much of his strength back.

"_Homme_, is there any other place either you or the kid remember from watching the TV show?" Remy begged from Kurt and Jamie. The two teenagers, however, were at a loss, unable to recollect another relief center. Jake then realized that there was one last possibility.

The brown kat said slowly, "Well…there is **one** more place I can think of that can help with everyone's predicament." And at sudden surge of expectation and relief shooting into the mutants' eyes, Jake added glumly, "**But** it's risky. Feral might also be there as well…but it's the best chance you have to save Amara."

"Let's go, then. Lead the way…hairball," Logan grunted. Even though most of the X-Men knew that when Logan used a nickname it was usually a good indication that he was growing used to that particular person and beginning to warm up in his trust, Jean and several others wished Wolverine was a bit more considerate in choosing a moniker for Razor. Razor especially didn't find it the slightest amusing, but he wrathfully and belligerently kept quiet.

For a half-hour, Jake managed to lead the X-Men unseen through the roofs of the buildings before they managed to find their way to the Megakat City Docks, the colossal marina and port riddled with thousands and thousands of boats, ships, and Enforcer battleships. However, the X-Men could see that there were a considerable amount of Enforcer boats patrolling the ocean and docks with their probing search-lights, guarding the water and keeping a vigilant eye for Dark Kat or Razor. Yet Razor was not the least bit worried as he led the Professor and his students and staff to a desolate fiord a bit off from the populated waterfronts before pressing a button on his glovatrix. Almost immediately, the radio signal opened a secret compartment from the sand, revealing a pair of steel, stone-and-seaweed covered metal doors opening to a clandestine, partly submerged hangar, large enough to house a bus. Razor quickly ushered everyone inside the large, metallic chamber down a series of steel steps, revealing his hidden trump card. There, submerged partly in the sea-water, was a huge vehicle that could be best classified as a half-tank and half-submarine hybrid. It was colored in the classic SWAT Kat design of black and red highlights, but the metal was shiny, smooth despite months and months of salt and foam, not like any of the other alloys used to construct army and naval fleet and battleships. And Logan and Hank could spot many sophisticated weapons decked on the surface of the ship along with an actual tank-turret and having a pair of state-of-the-art hydro turbo-engines, mechanical marvels that weren't even widespread back in the human world. It was an impressive piece of machinery, and some of the X-Men were stunned beyond belief.

"Oh my fucking stars and garters!" gasped Hank, for once letting his decorum and etiquette fail him as he swore out loud.

Jake smiled with some pride as he leapt on top of the tank, opening the pressurized hatch and beckoning everyone to enter in, boasting slightly, "Yeah, I know what you mean. Despite me and Cha - "

Jake faltered a bit before continuing with some pain, "We both worked on this for a year and a half during every moment of free-time we ever had, and even now, I could just spend hours just staring and admiring this baby. We built it out of the combined parts of an Eagle tank and a Seawolf submarine and reinforced the metal with an indestructible alloy thanks to several alien allies of ours. Trust me on this…if we run into any underwater troubles, this baby will take care of them without breaking a sweat. We could even dive to the upper parts of the Marianna Trench with this tank-submarine and not worry about the pressure crushing us. We called it 'The Aquain'."

"Oh! I remember that! That was when you and the alien underwater kats, the Aquains, teamed up to stop Mutilor from using the stolen ship to destroy Megakat City!" Jamie piped up as he settled in on the cozy leather seats and buckled in, strapping his seat belt. It was pleasantly comfortable inside, and there was enough room for everyone to stretch out their legs and arms if they wished to. Jake smiled a bit as he seated himself in the front along with Logan, Lockheed, Professor Xavier, and Beast before gunning to motor.

"You pretty much watched the show about us SWAT Kats obsessively, haven't you?" he asked as the Aquain rushed out of the submerged tunnel with amazing speed rivaling that of a nitro-fueled racecar before diving with barely a ripple in the water, hidden by the caress of the murky ocean.

"Hey, can I try driving this for a little bit!" Bobby gasped excitedly at Jake, "**_Puh-leeeeeaaaassse?_** I'll be careful with it!"

"I thought you and your friends told me how you crashed the jet back at your Institute when you and several others took it out for a joyride without the staff's permission?" Jake pointed out as he frowned at the adolescent.

"I didn't **crash** it…I just dinged it," Bobby clarified with slight affront.

"You're **_really_** stretching that one, Bobby," Roberto scoffed.

Jake's eyes softened a bit before they became gloomy again. The kat then offered, "When I'm done…I'll leave you with the Aquain for a little bit before you return back home."

"You don't know what you're getting yourself into," Hank groaned as he heard Bobby and Ray and Sam cheer at the answer and discuss the possible prospects with keen interest and delight.

Within mere minutes, the Aquain managed to hit land, and using its heavily-treaded tank wheels, Jake managed to force the vehicle to crawl onto the sandy beach of a private island, lush and green with plants and far enough from the Enforcers to escape detection. Scott and Roberto could see that even if they tried hard enough, they could only spot the very tops of the tallest of skyscrapers in the horizon. They certainly put enough distance between themselves and the city.

"Where are we?" Piotr asked as he carried Amara.

"To visit an old friend…though I just pray to God that he will be willing to help us out," Jake said off-handedly as he and the rest of the X-Men lightly trekked through the jungle before they came up to a large yet friendly-looking research facility, complete with a space observatory, roomy living quarters, and even a secluded jet hangar. Yet it was not open for intruders. The X-Men could see the heavily gated electrified fence with only a simple intercom communication-box positioned at the very front entrance. And, to the X-Men disbelief, there were cat-like androids meandering around the premises, doing simple housekeeping and gardening tasks with their metallic claws and multitude of robotic instruments hidden inside their bodies. It was like being surrounded by an army of mechanical maids.

"Wow, like totally talk about hi-tech!" Kitty marveled.

"I know! We should get one for the mansion!" Ray said with a smile, temporarily forgetting their plight.

Jake then pressed the intercom button on the front gate. An elderly yet indignant voice rasped out of the transmission box.

"I'm telling you Feral, you have already searched my place three goddamned times! You will not find anything here! I don't care if you are the Commander or not, but the next time you and your kats get past my front door will be the day I let you take the key to my laboratory from my cold, dead paws, you _mishegoyim_!"

Well, **_that_** was a good sign. It was a slight indication that the Enforcers weren't camped out in Hackle's home.

"Dr. Hackle…" Jake started. Jamie and Kurt's eyes lit up when they heard the name. Dr. Hackle was a retired weapons-researcher who was a good friend of the SWAT Kats.

"Oh!" Upon finding out that the unseen visitor was not Commander Feral and his Enforcers, Dr. Hackle took on a much more friendly yet apologetic and distant tone, not registering his guest at first.

"_Ach!_ Forgive this senile, old kat, young one, but I am sorry. I am not interest in anything you are selling, and -"

"Dr. Hackle…it's…it's…" yet Jake couldn't finish the sentence. He was too apprehensive of letting a kat know his whereabouts for the first time in a month, and already, he felt ready to dash back out to his hiding place the instant the words left his mouth. Yet the reminder of the fact that the X-Men were depending on him was enough to keep his hind feet firmly rooted into the concrete steps as he forced himself to finish.

"It's me…Razor."

There was a stunned silence at the other end, and for a moment, Cyclops and Professor X were fearful that the scientist either dropped dead from shock or was busy calling the Enforcers immediately at the sound of the vigilante's voice. Then the old kat's voice piped up in disbelief from the other end.

"Razor? _Jake Clawson?_"

Another voice, a female, spoke up in the background, gasping loudly, "Jake Clawson? He's _here_? At the front gates?"

Jake didn't have to listen closely to guess who it was. It was the female kat, Dr. Abi Sinian, a fellow researcher, professor, and head of the archeological department of the Megakat City Museum of History, an establishment that was well-renowned for its information, artifacts, and facilities all throughout the world due to Abi's hard work and constant dedication to the museum's legacy and standards. Abi herself had helped Callie and the SWAT Kats deal with the Pastmaster one time, aiding them with her knowledge of the Pastmaster's history with the Great Pyramid and the Katchu-Pichu demon and its supposed weaknesses. Jake guessed Abi was helping Dr. Hackle out on his island part-time with his research and with his daily activities since the kat was still so old and frail, he could barely do all of his chores and work without aid of an assistant.

Jake then broke in though the hushed whispers as he said, "Dr. Hackle, Dr. Sinian…I need your help. Please."

After a tense moment of silence and thought, Dr. Hackle's voice then rang through the intercom, even more apologetic and remorseful, saying, "Jacob…I cannot let you in. I am truly sorry…I cannot aid and abet a wanted fugitive and criminal, especially when Feral has already hounded me earlier for helping you and T-Bone before in the past. The Commander has already given me enough grief for all my nine lives, and I cannot risk my life and scientific legacy for you. Please forgive me, Razor…but I cannot help you."

"Dr. Hackle, please!" Jake shot back jadedly, desperate.

"Jake, you must go. Please, don't make this even more difficult for yourself or for us."

"It's not for me! It's for the X-Men! The aliens that accidentally found their way to our world! They're hurt, and one of them is dying if she doesn't get a bullet removed from her body! Please!"

"The X-Men? You mean those aliens that attacked the Enforcers and are helping Dark Kat take over the city? Jake, then you really _have_ betrayed us!" gasped Dr. Hackle, unwilling to believe and beside himself with shock and hurt.

Jake was now livid as he shouted, "That's a lie and you know it! Dr. Hackle, Dr. Sinian, they're not with Dark Kat! They're not on anyone's side in this war! They're just innocent bystanders who got dragged into this mess! Look, I know you might find it hard to believe, but they're not evil and not part of the Alliance! One of them, a girl, is hurt and she needs surgery! I know you have a medical background in emergency medicine, Dr. Hackle, and your laboratory has an ER ward for such emergencies! **Please!** I need your help!"

There was a short pause before Dr. Sinian's voice, trembling, rang through the intercom.

"Clawson…if you don't remove yourself and those aliens from the premises, we'll call Feral and his Enforcers right now. You have one minute."

Dr. Hackle then provided gently, "Please, young Jacob, do not make this harder on yourself. Will you please just leave…for our sakes and for yours?"

"That's it! I've had enough of this! If Amara doesn't make it, you're gonna have her death on your cowardly paws, you mangy fur-balls!" Logan snarled as he drew out his adamantium claws with a _snikt_. Gambit and Colossus looked ready to join in, but then Hank and Ororo stopped them from doing anything rash as Razor took one final gamble, his voice thick with jaded emotion.

"Dr. Hackle, Dr. Sinian…**please**, just think about this. You said you trusted the SWAT Kats before to help protect the city, and even without the mask, I'm still the same kat who helped you fight against the Metallikats and the Pastmaster. You said you think I betrayed the city and joined the Invincible Alliance of Evil in order to seek revenge on Feral for what he did to T-Bone. And yet the Razor you have always known would never do such a thing. Now, I have to ask you this: who do you believe is telling the truth? Me? Or Feral? Now…think and decide whatever you will."

Jake waited, holding his breath, as the X-Men just tensed up from the baited silence.

The gates clicked open with a buzzing noise from the intercom.

"Everyone…the X-Men and Jake…all of you, get in quickly before daylight breaks!" Dr. Hackle commanded sternly.

000-

"Will Amara be all right, Dr. Hackle?" Ororo asked worriedly, in a rush, as she practically leapt onto the flustered professor in his green scrubs as he, Hank, Jean, and the Professor exited the ER bay. It had been two hours after they X-Men were allowed into Dr. Hackle's facility, and immediately, the kind professor took Amara to his medical ward where he, Hank, and Jean began to operate with the Professor Xavier providing assistance with a mind-link from Hackle's mind and knowledge to Beast and Jean's consciousness, allowing them to assist in the procedure.

Dr. Hackle turned to be a skinny yet grizzled kat with bifocal spectacles and pale peach-brown colored fur growing wilding around his head along with white whiskered cheeks and a white ponytail of white hair tied behind. Yet despite the small figure in his white lab-coat appearing seemingly frail, the kat managed to summon enough willpower and strength to help Amara, shedding his humble, absent-minded appearance rather quickly. Dr. Abi Sinian was a beautiful she-kat with coffee-colored fur with a wise, no-nonsense face and shoulder-length, chestnut -colored hair. Hey body was tall, short of lanky, and her eyes were as dark as her black nose, but she managed to look very professional in her white lab-coat over her preppy-looking sweater and slacks.

Needless to say, upon the first sight of the mutants, Hackle and Sinian were very shocked and a bit fearful, despite the multiple assurances from Jake that they were friendly. Still, upon the sight of the languishing Amara, Hackle immediately took charge, determined to save her life while Abi cordially offered the X-Men the living quarters and some additional first-aid kits, pointing them to the showers. The teenagers stampeded towards the bathrooms, and upon finding that there were only enough shower facilities for ten people at a time, there were several arguments about who got to go first before it got settled with fifty or so furious rounds of rock-paper-scissors and the general threat from Rogue that she was going to hold all the shampoo and soap Abi gave to the X-Men hostage unless she was in the first wave for the baths.

Humorously enough, the shampoos were Abi's favorite brands, "Catnip Essence" along with "Tail and Shoulders" and "Pantene Kat-V". It was weird being in a world that was oddly similar and different from yours at the same time.

Hackle stammered a bit as he pried himself from Ororo's frantic grip, saying soothingly, "She will be fine. The surgery was a complete success, Ms. Monroe, and she is recuperating nicely. She was put under general anesthesia as we removed the bullet, and there was some slight damage to her hip-bone and pelvis as a result of the metal shrapnel, but within a month or so, the bone should have restructured itself enough to heal completely. There was no need for any metal plates and screws for this injury. Your student shall awaken and suffer no serious side-effects. Thanks to the blood provided from your staff member, Logan, we were able to make an efficient blood transfusion to help her recover from the blood she had lost earlier, and she shall be as good as before. There is no need to worry. She is in no danger."

"So can we see her?" Tabitha asked in eager anticipation as she and the other X-Kids gathered around.

Hackle nodded, and with a whoop, the X-Men stormed into the ER bay, leaving the adults alone in the living room. Abi had to smile as she saw Lockheed choosing to stay behind to nuzzle affectionately against her legs. Even though she had never seen a miniature dragon before, the museum curator found Kitty's pet to be quite irresistible. She then noticed Jake standing a bit in the distance before recalling that though she and Ororo and Logan checked over all the students to ensure none of them were injured, Razor had not followed suit.

"Razor, we can treat your injuries as well if you need it," Dr. Sinian offered gently.

Jake turned slightly hot around his collar as he said flatly, "Don't bother; I'm fine."

Logan, however, noticed the slight unease in the kat's eyes, the slight wavering in his stoniness, a tinge of nervousness. The kat was hiding something and sniffing the faint odor of exposed blood, Logan knew what it was. Without warning, Logan, with a flash of his hand, gave Jake a light karate chop on the vigilante's side, not even sufficient enough to leave a bruise. Yet the response was instantaneous. Jake gave a strangled cry of pain as he fell to his knees, hissing and trying his best not to whimper, as he held his right side tightly before glaring at Wolverine with absolute hatred.

"**_What the hell did you do THAT for?_**" Jake roared.

"Cause you were being too stubborn for your own good, hairball," Logan shot back mercilessly before turning his attention to Beast, saying, "He's all yours, Hank."

With some protest, Hank and Dr. Hackle managed to lead Jake to sit upon the table and pry the torn G-suit off Jake's upper body, and they were stunned at what they saw on the SWAT Kat's naked torso. On his right side-abdominal, devoid of any fur, was a deep laceration, pink, raw, and oozing slightly with pus and containing a thick, black outline of dried blood and matted, grimy fur, hard and spiked. It was the same wound Jake received a month ago when he fought against Dark Kat, and after the four weeks of running, constant bodily movement, and wading in the sewers without special treatment, it was already heavily infected, close to gangrene. Even underneath the hairy, pink skin, Hank could see spots of green and blue growing and festering in Jake's puffed, swollen flesh and bloodstream.

"Oh Razor," Abi murmured to herself in pity, holding her hands to her mouth.

"_Oy Gevalt!_" gasped Dr. Hackle, "Razor, this is septic! Another week or so, and you would have died from blood-poisoning!"

"Why didn't you treat this, Jake?" Hank asked gently as he reached for a scalpel to cut away at the dead tissue.

Jake just remained resentfully silent, humiliated at the sudden fussing over, as he shot Logan a very poisonous glare for his part in the disclosure. Logan just stonily looked on, but inward, he was relieved that at least Razor couldn't hide the seriousness of his wounds any longer. Hank, meanwhile, was somewhere between exasperated and bothered.

"Stars and garters, Jake!" Beast commented, worried, as he readied the scalpel to drain the infected fluids from the wound, "It's a miracle in itself that you haven't been seriously handicapped from the high levels of bacteria and blockage of blood-flow in your abdominal muscles! Are you **_trying_** to kill yourself?"

The reddish-brown furred SWAT Kat didn't even answer, didn't even flinch from the sting of the blade making the incision into his sore flesh, as he just stared into space in a lifeless gaze.

000-

"Is anyone hungry? I'll bet you poor children are famished," Dr. Sinian offered kindly as she, Logan, Piotr, Ororo, Ray, and Tabitha came bustling in to the living room with over thirty pans of pizza, two gigantic bowls of shrimp salad bursting with red and green assortments of vegetables, fruit cocktail, and tons and tons of canned beverages, hanging in bunches of six with plastic rings. After the crisis with Sam and Amara had been dealt with, and Amara had awoken from her surgery several hours ago, Abi thought that the X-Men could use a good meal considering it was close to dinnertime.

She couldn't have said a bigger understatement in her entire life. As soon as she set down the piping hot food and drinks, the X-Men teens set upon it like ravenous wolves vying for a piece of small meat, not even bothering to use the plates and silverware set available next to the food.

"Hey, this pizza tastes kind of funky," Bobby commented with his mouth full, a slice of pizza in each hand.

"He's gotta a point. This stuff's good, but stranger than a three-legged wolf in a henhouse," Sam added as he took a swig from his soda can. Or at least he _thought_ it was soda before the blond-haired adolescent slightly sputtered at the taste.

"Hey, this ain't soda! It's **milk**!"

Abi was puzzled as she fed Lockheed some shrimp salad, making the pet dragon very ecstatic for the food, saying, "Of course it is. Anything that isn't water or coffee always has milk as its main component as a beverage of any sort. And as for the pizza, I'm sorry, but the only ones we had in the freezer were deep-dish tuna, but it's a popular topping in Megakat City."

"**_Tuna_** pizzas?" Roberto repeated in disbelief before giving his slice a very scrutinizing look, "Boy, I dunno for you cat guys, but this would never be considered as a pizza topping in our dimension!"

"This world is truly getting weirder and weirder by the hour," groaned Piotr.

Kurt, Amara and Jamie just continued wolfing down more than their shares, as Kurt piped up, "Ah, what are you complaining about? This is good! I've never had tuna with pizza before! I swear, I could eat this all day!"

"Like, for sure, I'm so totally grateful I'm vegetarian," Kitty remarked as she gulped down her fruit cocktail.

Dr. Hackle's eyes sparkled with life, with the curiosity and excitement of discovering something new and truly, breathtakingly wondrous, like a kitten. Abi could have sworn she had never seen Dr. Hackle seem livelier and animated before ever since he learned of Chance's death and Jake's unfair persecution on the news.

"Please, tell me more about your world, Roberto!" Hackle requested gleefully as he reached for a slice of tuna pizza, "I have always been fascinated by the String Theory and M-Theory in physics, and now, I must thank you for making this old kat's wildest dreams come true! Please, tell me more!"

Dr. Hackle and Dr. Sinian listened with great interest as the X-Men, with each kid interrupting the other, retold all their adventures and their purpose of the X-Men. Abi and Hackle learned about the human world, how it was similar and yet different to their world of Megakat City, and how they had arrived here by accident due to Forge's inventions. Hackle and Sinian, like Jake, were incredibly amused and shocked to find out that their lives were displayed as a TV show back in the human world, but it soon melted into scientific interest and amazement as they saw each X-Man and X-Woman display their powers a bit. Hackle was especially interested in the genius minds of Forge, Hank, and Kitty, and when he learned of their problem, he immediately leaped at the chance to help with the alternator.

"_Ach!_ Why didn't you say so before? My laboratory had many parts and materials at your whims! I used to be a former weapons-designer at Puma-Dyne before I retired to this island, and I have many tools and robotic technology to help you with your plans! I have equipment that Puma-Dyne can only dream of, and it is far better and fortunate that you X-Men had arrived here instead of the actual Puma-Dyne laboratories! By all means, I'll be glad to assist you in your alternator device in any way I can! You may use anything you wish!"

"That'll be great!" Forge exclaimed, "At least now all of our problems are solved!"

"At least for _your_ problems, they are Forge," Abi murmured with regretful sadness, "but Megakat City is still in danger from Dark Kat and the Alliance. Earlier, Dr. Hackle was able to wiretap onto the private radio frequencies used for transmission back at the Enforcers' headquarters, and from what we learned, Feral is increasing his Enforcers patrols because Dark Kat is planning to attack the city very soon in the near future, sooner than anyone had even anticipated."

"What! Are you serious!" Rogue gasped as the X-Men around her broke in hushed, nervous whispers. Abi nodded morosely.

"But…but why? I thought Dark Kat and his henchmen just attacked Megakat City a month ago! And with the Enforcers now on high alert, they would be foolish to think that Feral and his forces would not be better prepared for what they could use against them!" Ororo asked, troubled. Jean frowned as she thought of something.

The red-haired telekinetic remarked, "Actually, now I can see why this entire fiasco with the 'Invincible Alliance of Evil' has been bugging me so much. Dr. Sinian, Dark Kat is supposedly a criminal mastermind bent on taking over the city and controlling it like a criminal kingpin, a tyrant ruler so to speak, right? Yet from what Jake has told us, he and Chance fought against Dark Kat many times before and they never were able to see Dark Kat use his army this ruthlessly and effectively. Kurt even remarked how he saw the episode on how the last alliance between all the enemies of the SWAT Kats fell apart due to their conflicting, power-hungry egos and double-handed betrayals. So why are they able to team up now? And if they were really intent on wiping out Megakat City, then why didn't they do so before when Chance…uh, when the Enforcers fought them last month? I mean, to turn and run after they killed so many innocent civilians and by bombing and destroying half of city, the Enforcers could have easily been overwhelmed. So, what makes this battle even more dangerous than the last one?"

"Actually, we recently learned something about that last attack, Ms. Grey. Apparently, though it was not reported in the news and media, there was a hidden agenda to the siege, the one that led to the current, ruined state the city is in now," Dr. Hackle provided. Everyone, even Jake, tuned in with interest as the elderly kat continued.

"From what I had been able to deduce from eavesdropping on the private frequency of the Enforcers' headquarters, Dark Kat's destruction was but a mere ruse, a distraction. While all the Enforcers and the SWAT Kats were busy trying to incapacitate them from destroying the city, some of Dark Kat's creeplings along with Dr. Viper, Pastmaster and Hard Drive were able to make off with some items with no one the wiser. With everyone's attentions focused in on the battles, the Enforcers and the general public would be too distracted to trouble themselves over a few seemingly random thefts. Yet when Feral found out that the robberies were committed by members of the alliance, he knew then that it was anything but trite and random. It then made sense; the thefts were the real goal for the alliance, and Dark Kat's brutal war on the city was just a way to ensure all the Enforcers would be too busy fighting against him and his forces. And Feral was able to deduce that these goods must have some common link for something truly horrifying and destructive. After all, if Dark Kat has such an interest in the materials, then it cannot be for anything good. And it would explain why they retreated so quickly after the previous holocaust. Since they now had the materials, Dark Kat needed time to use them for whatever plans he has, and by destroying the city with those series of cold-fusion bombs, it would seriously handicap the Enforcers and the city enough to cause chaos, preventing them from being able to effectively track down the evil and counter-attack. With so many kats dead and the city in shambles, the Enforcers and City Council is too busy trying to maintain control and peace and keep this city together to do anything else."

"Like, what exactly did they steal?" Kitty asked.

Hackle said wearily, "From what we learned, Dr. Viper stole a mutagen called 'Katalyst-X' from his old research facility which has the ability to transform organic material into new strains of genotypes, basically altering the DNA and structure itself, causing unnatural mutations, those not like the ones you all have experienced. Before, Katalyst-X was used to create new strains of plants in order to help with diversifying the gene pool and creating new breeds that would be resistant to parasites and diseases, but with Dr. Viper's twisted genius, I can only grimace at what he could do with such a powerful chemical. And the Metallikats and Dark Kat's creeplings were able to kill much of the staff and researchers back at Puma-Dyne Industries in order to make of with some very valuable nanotechnology, several advanced computer programs, and several tons of a very indestructible and impenetrable metal alloy, the same one I used to create my robots. Yet the nanotechnology they stole was far advanced, enough to use to create all sorts of technological sabotage, hacking, and weaponry. Hard Drive was able to use the circuit breaker to the Enforcers' headquarters to take the Vertigo Beam from their storage safe. You remember, Jake? The one Turmoil used to keep the Enforcers at bay while her jets could terrorize the city? It was a truly remarkable piece of machinery; it was designed to render anything electrical and electronic moot, so basically, any computer or mechanical system along with any engine could be rendered useless and lifeless in a mere second. With such a weapon, no army can truly stand up to Dark Kat, especially since all the Enforcers use hi-tech circuitry in their weapons, guns, and vehicles, including their Enforcer tanks, jets, and helicopters."

"Wait, what about the Pastmaster?" Piotr asked, "What exactly did he steal?"

"Not much but some relics, and I'm not exactly sure what to make of such a theft," Abi confessed, "The Megakat City Museum has many more priceless and valuable artifacts stored in its display cases, some of which cannot be located in any other museum in the world! But the Pastmaster stole some belongings that were holy prayer stones used by one of the pharaohs, Rama-Tut."

"Let Remy get this straight," Gambit said as he ticked off the facts with his fingers, "Dr. Viper steals a mutagen called 'Katalyst-X' that can mutate life-forms and anything organic, 'specially plants, Hard Drive steals a weapon called the Vertigo Beam that can stall any airplane and make it useless, the Metallikats steal nanotechnology from Puma-Dyne along with the same metal alloys Dr. Hackle used to create them in the first place, and this Pastmaster and his mummies steal secular relics from Egypt? Remy gotta say, this don't really make much sense!"

"I know. It certainly doesn't add up," Scott frowned thoughtfully, "and from what Kurt and Jamie told me about the alliance, we seem to be at a disadvantage. They must have something truly desirable if they are all willing to put up with each other like this, so if this siege is going to be approaching soon, then it might truly be the one that ends everything. In other words, it's going to be the final blow."

"I could not agree more, Mr. Summers," Hackle added.

"Yeah, but if you ask me, Dark Kat doesn't exactly seem to be playing with a full deck of cards," Tabitha said, "I mean, why the interest in Megakat City? What's so special about this place? I mean, he and the bad kats could have tried taking over the nation's capitol or destroy the United Nations, but instead, he's just currently focused on this city, as if there's something special to him about it."

"Yeah, what is wrong with Dark Kat? You seem to know a lot about Dr. Viper, the Metallikats, and Hard-Drive. Even Dr. Sinian knows a lot about Pastmaster from ancient texts! And yet you don't seem to know anything about Dark Kat or seem to have established a profile on him," Amara pointed out.

Jake then answered, "Actually, it's for good reason, Amara. The Enforcers and public don't know **_anything_** about Dark Kat. It's as if he never even existed. There's no record of him or his past life, whether or not he lived in the city, what he was, or how he lived before turning to crime. Even when I joined the Enforcers at a young age, all I can recall is that he suddenly popped up into the public eye, causing mayhem and destruction with his creepling servants and said that he was the rightful ruler of the city and of all kat-kind, the true savior of the kat race and its future descendants. We have tried hacking into the government records they keep on all citizens in the country along with Interpol's main database, but we couldn't find any leads. Anything about Dark Crud is a complete mystery; it's almost as if he's not a normal kat."

"So what do we do? If Dark Kat's going to destroy the city, we need to help them out," Ray said.

"Don't bother, Ray," Jake said bitterly, "This isn't your fight nor is it your problem. It's better if you guys just fix your alternator so that you can go back home to your world and forget about all this mess. Don't drag yourselves into something that you'll all regret."

"And what of yourself, Jake?" Abi asked the brown kat, frowning and looking slightly put off.

"I'll be fine."

"Jake, you know that wasn't what we were referring to. Megakat City is in danger of being wiped out," Dr. Sinian retorted, pushing the subject.

Jake's eyes went cold as he said disdainfully, "And how is that any problem of mine?"

Dr. Hackle's eyes went soft with sorrow for the young kat as he said gently, "Razor…young Jacob…the city still needs you to help them to stop Dark Kat and the Invincible Alliance before things get worse. You know you could very well be the main asset that could stop Dark Kat for good. After all, no other kat has fought against them for so long, and with your expertise, you can truly assist the Enforcers and protect the city. The Enforcers and the others may be able to provide a good barrage, but you may truly be the lone trump card that can turn the tide of the battle and stop the alliance before they kill even more kats."

"I'm sorry, but you must actually think that I give a damn about them anymore," Jake retorted with malice as he got up and left the table, incredibly heated. Hackle then lost his temper as he shouted with gall at the SWAT Kat, slamming his frail, bony fist on the table.

"Jake, this isn't about your grudge between yourself and Feral! This isn't even about Chance anymore! Kats are going to die, Razor! Dark Kat and his Alliance aren't going to stop until they can demolish Megakat City to the ground, and even when that happens, they'll still try to terrorize other cities and nations until Dark Kat achieves God knows whatever he's planning! Are you so willing to use your betrayals and grief as a self-righteous excuse to watch the other s suffer? You said earlier that you were still Razor, with or without the mask! Well, the Razor I remember would have done the honorable thing and still defend those who cannot fight for themselves to the very end, even if it meant a great cost to himself! Because he sincerely cared about the city and the innocents who reside there!"

"So in other words, I'm supposed to be the noble sacrifice that always has to do the right thing and never have faults and be allowed to grieve and feel hurt like everyone else? I'm supposed to fight everyone's battles, the very battles everyone else is too scared or hypocritical to do anything?"

"Yes. After all, isn't that why you became a vigilante in the first place?" Hackle highlighted flatly.

Jake's eyes became molten steel as he shouted, "I'm not a god, Dr. Hackle! I'm just a kat…a kat who's just lost his best and only friend and watched him die! A kat who was unfairly blamed for everything that went wrong in that battle and who was mocked, cursed and criticized by every damned kat in the country! A kat who can't ever go back to the life he used to live once before! A kat who wasn't even allowed to grieve and heal like everyone else from the fact that he had to watch his partner die for doing the right thing and to only be given the short end of the stick! I didn't care about receiving rewards or thanks, but I became a SWAT Kat to help catch whatever Feral and his Enforcers let slip between their claws, to find justice outside the law whenever it failed, and to do whatever I could to protect this city because I used to care! Emphasis on **_'used to'_**! But a fat lot of good it did for me! I would give up everything, my life, my past heroics, my well-being, to have Chance back, to have my buddy here again! Now I'm left with nothing but shame, despair, and the anger at the fact that Feral is gloating over my downfall, the downfall that son-of-a-bitch caused in the first place!"

At the end of this, Clawson became so mad, he hurriedly stormed out though the front door, burning with the intensity of a thousand fires.

"But you have to help them!" Jamie shouted at Jake, "You're supposed to save them, to protect them! You're their hero!"

"Things change, kid," Jake said over his shoulder harshly before slamming the door, "and don't go believing everything you see on TV."

There was a frustrated and uncomfortable silence as Jake left. Forge uneasily coughed as he left the table, murmuring, "I better go work on fixing the alternator."

Hank and Dr. Hackle left with the young mutant inventor towards the robotics laboratory as Jean and Xavier made a move to follow Razor, but surprising everyone, Logan beat the two telepaths to it as he said gruffly to the Professor, "I'll talk to Jake, Chuck, but don't expect any miracles from the hairball."

Xavier could have honestly said that Wolverine would have been the _last_ person he would have chosen to help Jake with his grieving process. Yet he didn't bother arguing as the gruff mutant left through the front doors. Still, somewhat worried for both Jake and Logan, Xavier waited for them to return. He waited when the students finished dinner. He waited when the hallway clock rang eleven chimes. And he continued to wait until he needed to turn in for the night due to his fatigue and for the fact that he didn't wish to disturb the peacefully sleeping students. Yet it was a few hours afterward when Logan returned back into the living room…alone.

000-

The following morning, at the crack of dawn, with the sky-blue hue of brightness filtering through the sky-light of the laboratory, some of the X-Men began to stir and wake up. Since they were spending the night, and there weren't enough guest rooms for everyone, Dr. Hackle and Dr. Sinian decided that the Xavier and the staff of the Institute should sleep on the beds in the spare rooms while the students rested in the living room on the sleeping bags and blankets they had in supply. Remy and Kurt were humorously sprawled out upon their sleeping bags in awkward and chaotic positions on the floor, drooling and snoring like fat dogs. Some of the veterans were with Abi as she prepared coffee and bagels as breakfast for the X-Men along with Jean, Scott, Storm, the Professor and Logan.

Forge then came running in excitedly, cheering and making such a joyous ruckus, he couldn't help but awaken every one of the X-Men in the living room.

"Someone please shut him up," groaned Tabitha as she pulled the pillow over her head.

"Lockheed, kill Forge for us, and we'll give you an entire bag of treats if we get back home," Piotr added as he wearily tried to rub the sleep out of his baggy eyes.

"You guys! I fixed the alternator! **_I fixed the alternator!_** It works! It works now! We can go back home! **_We can go back home to our own dimension!_**"

"What! You're serious! Are you sure it works, that it's not gonna backfire!" Scott asked eagerly as the announcement was enough to cause all of the half-asleep X-students to jump from the floor and run towards the inventor.

Hank smiled as he said, "No chance of that, Scott. I triple-checked the modifications along with Dr. Hackle, and Forge has even tried opening a sample dimensional rift in Hackle's lab. It fully works, and considering that the coordinates were already preset before it malfunctioned, Forge and Dr. Hackle were able to calculate the coordinates that would send us back to our own dimension from once we came from. So we can return back to our mansion at any time now."

"That's the best news Remy has heard all day," sighed Gambit as the other X-Men began to cheer and exclaim in joy and extreme relief. They could now go home!

All was euphoric until there was a yell of surprise from the hallway and Hackle's research lab, a scream of dread, and before anyone could react to it, Dr. Hackle ran out as awkwardly and as fast as his frail limbs could allow him.

"It's gone! It's gone!" the elderly kat cried out in alarm and distress, nearly at a loss, nearly frantically babbling.

"What? What's gone?" Abi asked urgently as the other X-Men started to pester the professor with questions and confused looks.

"It's Project _B-110_, Abi! The black hole grenade!" wailed Dr. Hackle.

For several seconds, it was all just hushed whispers until Tabitha looked around the living room and realized one member of their party was missing. She queried loudly above the din, "Hey, has anyone seen Razor?"

Tabby spoke the truth; Jake was no where to be seen. Logan gave a small sniff of the air, but the only scents he picked up were Dr. Hackle and Dr. Sinian's. Any trace of Clawson's in the room was cold and stale. Jake must have remained outside after their talk and didn't even bother coming in as he left and hightailed it out of the island.

"I don't believe this!" raged Bobby in outrage, "I still didn't get a chance to drive his Aquain tank-thingy!"

"I think a missing bomb and Jake being gone is a little more important, Ice-Cube!" snapped Logan, raising a few eyebrows, "Can't you put it all together? Damn it, I should have known better than to let the hairball out of my sight! I swear, I shoulda dragged his smelly hide over here by the scruff of his neck in the first place instead of letting him go off! The flea-ridden furball's now probably going to use the weapon!"

"But that's impossible for it to be used as a weapon!" Dr. Hackle feebly insisted, "The black-hole grenade was so unstable as a model, we were never able to perfect it here at Puma-Dyne! At best, the grenade is only able to fully create a black hole void in the time-space continuum large enough to encapsulate a space with a diameter of a hundred meters or so! Yes, it will have severe enough consequences that it will literally suck and drag anything towards it by its immense pull and crush anything it swallows! But due to the artificial and unnatural gravitational forces, a black hole being at this level of atmosphere and space would cause it to haphazardly collapse onto itself within minutes, so it'll expire by itself! In other words, the black hole generator isn't dangerous enough to be a weapon of mass destruction due to its ineffectiveness! Yes, if kats were within range and close to its vicinity, they will surely be sucked into the portal and be crushed within the rip in space, but it wouldn't be as destructive as say a nuclear bomb!"

"Why the hell not? **_A black hole? _**That definitely sounds like a pretty bad thing if it ever gets set off in public, Doc!" Tabitha protested.

Abi clarified gently, "It's because a weapon can only be considered of mass destruction if it can destroy a vast amount of civilians and level down an entire city, basically, anything that leads to massive and long-term consequences. The thing is, regardless of how scary the grenade sounds, it couldn't even destroy a city if the person detonating it wished it so! At best, it would only be able to destroy an entire _block_…but not a city. And like Dr. Hackle said, it wouldn't exist for very long enough to do anything lasting. Basically, when the black hole closes up, there will only be a crater of where the grenade was set off, but nothing permanently marked into the environment with no side-effects. It would be as if nothing happened except for the crater."

"I see what you mean," Forge said, "I mean, why use a black-hole grenade when you could just wipe a city out with a nuclear warhead? Or something else ten times more powerful?"

"But then why would Jake take that grenade from Puma-Dyne if he was intending to destroy the city with it?" Bobby asked, "It doesn't make sense. I thought Jake was supposed to be smarter than that."

Scott suddenly had a cold feeling of shock grasp his heart as a possibility slowly dawned on him as he said, "I don't think Jake was planning to destroy the city with it…"

"Maybe he's trying to get revenge solely on Feral and his Enforcers," Ray suggested, "I mean, if I get my best friend shot thanks to some overgrown, mangy fur-ball, I'd hunt him down and kill him too. So maybe Jake would set the grenade under the Enforcer building and kill off all the soldiers there or something."

Jamie turned on Ray angrily, defending, "Shut up! Jake would never do that! He's a hero!"

Jean then added, "I agree with Multiple. As much as I could sense Jake, being hurt, scared, despondent, and angry at Feral, I don't think he'd actually kill him…or endanger the entire city while he's at it. After all, what about Callie Briggs and Felina Feral? He wouldn't be so narrow-minded to drag anyone innocent in his grudge against the commander."

Ray wasn't swayed much as he persisted, "Oh, come on! He said he'd do anything to avenge Chance and get back at Feral! Even if he didn't kill a lot of other kats, Jake would still try to get back at him in any way he can!"

"Can you blame Razor, though?" Sam asked in a hard voice, "I mean, Feral did a lot of pretty nasty stuff to him. And Jake's exposed to the public and can't go back to where he used to be, now that he lost his partner and best friend."

Piotr then reminded them, "But you are forgetting one thing: Feral will be with his Enforcers and the city's defense teams when they try to stop Dark Kat and his alliance when they fight and clash each other. Jake couldn't possibly use the bomb there unless he wanted to kill everyone around Feral."

A sudden thought crossed Rogue's mind at this when she slowly voiced, "Wait a minute…what if…Feral **_isn't_** Jake's target for that grenade?"

Kitty frowned as she asked, "But, like, who else could he possibly use that grenade on?"

Storm broke in, interrupting, "Children, we're getting a bit off of the discussion. We need to track down Jake before he uses the weapon to endanger other innocent civilians."

"I'm telling you, he would never do that!" Jamie raged at the weather-witch.

"No, Ms. Munroe, it is not as you say," Hackle continued wearily, "The grenade may be dangerous, but it is too much of an overkill for one person and too little of a threat to endanger Megakat City or what's left of it, considering if a kat was even lucky enough to know how to properly use it. Even luckier if the black-hole would even work to begin with. That's why the army and Enforcers passed up on such a device for military purposes. It doesn't pose much of a threat except to…"

Dr. Hackle paused, frowning at the sudden thought.

"'Except to' what, Dr. Hackle?" Hank persisted, growing concerned.

The aged scientist's eyes widened in horror as he exclaimed, "**_Oy Gevalt!_** Razor wouldn't!"

"Wouldn't what?" asked Amara.

Hackle wheezed, "That was another fault of the black-hole grenade, young one! In order for the weapon to be set off, it had to be done **_manually_**! We were never able to design it so that you could simply set if off using an electromagnetic pulse or a radio frequency from a remote control or computer signal like most weapons are! The design for the bomb was too unstable to even create such a method! So the problem is, someone has to _physically_ set off the grenade to even cause the black-hole to appear!"

Roberto then frowned, asking, "Wait…but if it needs a person to set it off, then how does _that_ person prevent himself from getting sucked into the hole once it detonates?"

Dr. Hackle tragically looked at the Brazilian mutant before shaking his head, replying sorrowfully, "They can't."

The Professor and the X-Men elders then suddenly realized what Dr. Hackle was saying, and it clicked together in place. Jamie gasped in shock, and Kurt blurted out, "_Neit!_ Jake wouldn't! He wouldn't!"

Logan then look troubled as he emphasized, "He **would**, Elf…cause Jake's got nothing else to lose."

**Author's notes: Check back next Friday when Dark Kat and his Incredible Alliance of Evil strike the city! Can the Enforcers stop him? What will happen to Feral, Callie, Felina, and the others? What is Jake planning? Find out next Friday in the chapter, "A Typical Villain's Blowhard Speech", but until then, read and review! Constructive criticism welcome!**


	6. A Typical Villain’s Blowhard Speech

**CHAPTER 6: A Typical Villain's Blowhard Speech**

The sun rose slowly above the sea in the east, bathing the night sky with rosy pink comfort and the warmth of the dawning light brought a little ease to the thousands upon thousands of Enforcer kat soldiers and civilians in Megakat City. Unfortunately, it couldn't erase the feeling of doom and foreclosure of despair that was hanging thickly in the air. It was everywhere, in every building and home and apartment, where many kats were huddled together with their families in basements and sealed-off hallways and boarded windows. It was in the heart of every Enforcer and volunteer who were willingly walking in plain sight amongst the streets, either armed for the front-lines of the battle to waiting behind in make-shifts tents to help with medical aid, all of them selflessly giving up their own safety and lives to help in the fight against the Invincible Alliance of Evil. It was even in the hearts and minds of every kat in the nation and world who were watching live coverage of Megakat City on the news as the battalions of soldiers, militia, navy fleets and tanks from the nation's capitol approached the metropolis by land, sea, and air, all of them sent to either save Megakat City…or destroy it. It all came down to the one unanswerable question…

"Can we even win?" Lieutenant Felina Feral asked softly to Commander Feral as they stood, side by side on top of their Enforcer headquarters, looking across the metropolitan area as far as their sharp eyes could possibly scan. Ulysses was peering and scrutinizing every shadow and possible anomaly he could spot through a pair of binoculars. They were about ready to join the rest of their patrols and legions in the defense-counterstrike against Dark Kat, but since it was entirely possible that they may not see each other again, Felina and her Uncle both wanted one, last quiet time along, just the two of them, as a family moment. And the roof of the Enforcer building seemed to be the right place for it.

The Commander's face did not falter from the hard, grim look he displayed. He then said lowly, candidly, "I don't know, Felina. I honestly don't know what Dark Kat and his henchkats have planned in their devious, depraved minds. It can go either way."

Felina at first didn't know how to react to that statement, so she just sighed, her tail swishing softly from the morning breeze of the high altitude. Feral couldn't help but glance at his niece; even when the odds were against her, she had a stubborn backbone of pure steel, never willing to back down from a challenge or to take "no" for an answer. To tell the truth, he was more worried about his niece's sake than his own, and Felina felt the very same likewise. Commander Feral was more of a father to her than her own biological one, especially since the latter was incredibly against the idea of her joining the Enforcers when she graduated high school. Feral even blandly remembered how he received a lot of blame for that one since Felina's parents thought he coerced her into joining the city's paramilitary unit in the first place.

Feral then spoke, "At least we've done all we possibly could. Even if Dark Kat sent the entire world against us, we'd still fight back and stop him the best we could. This, I can assure you, though, Lieutenant, that Dark Kat will not find this to be an easy fight! We're not going to just foolishly rush into battle without thought and die like reckless, disorganized twits like the SWAT Kats. Especially that damned Furlong who's probably rotting in hell as we speak."

At this last remark, Felina's fur bristled as she felt herself stiffen, but she gracefully kept quiet. Her uncle was no fool in knowing her stand on the opinion of the SWAT Kats, especially T-Bone, and she hated that the little barb was indirectly sent to ruffle her. Besides, if this was truly their last family moment, she didn't want to ruin it by angry words and things said that they would both later regret. Additionally, should they ever succeed in stopping Dark Kat, Felina already made it her personal goal to go behind the Commander's back and see that Jake would be spared and that Callie Briggs would be given back her job. Yet despite the good intention, Felina secretly felt conflicted about it, the clash between her loyalty to her family and her loyalty to her friends, the SWAT Kats and Callie.

She just wished that Commander Feral just saw the obvious truth: they were all on the same side.

"I better go ready the Theta teams," she stated stonily as she smartly did an about-face and strode back to the door leading downstairs. It was a passive-aggressive move, but Feral inwardly winced as though he was slapped in the face. Still…

"Lieutenant?"

"Yes, sir?" Felina asked without even turning around, her back to her superior.

"Lead them well, Lieutenant."

Lieutenant Feral nodded as she made her way down, leaving the Commander to himself. It was the closest thing she would ever get to an "I love you".

000-

Ulysses Feral went over the plans in his head for the hundredth time as he made his way to lead the Omega teams of Enforcers close to the Enforcer building. It was of the utmost importance that everyone would do his or her part assigned to them.

None of the Enforcers were foolish enough to believe that Dark Kat and the Invincible Alliance of Evil would not plan to finish what he had started a month ago. The atmosphere was thick, hot, and heavy with trepidation and anxiety. Even though Commander Feral had requested forcefully that no Enforcer was to repeat the messages the Enforcer cryptologists and spies detected from Dark Kat's island frequencies, it didn't stop the he-kats and she-kats from whispering it from one another, from passing down the prophet of doom in low murmurs that basically highlighted the fact that Dark Kat was eventually planning a siege this very day, the twenty-second of the month of June.

Commander Feral himself, like the hidden thefts that were made by the alliance members so long ago, didn't know what to make heads and tails out of that assertion. Yet there was no denying it. The cryptologists and experts heard references made about the Summer Solstice, the one day where the light of day was at the highest and longest period, and it was exactly on June 22nd. Though much was known about the symbolic day, where it was described from a pagan holiday to a legend where it was one of the nine days where the boundaries between worlds and reality were the thinnest, Feral knew that it was no good if Dark Kat was interested in it. It was just frustrating that he didn't know what it was that bugged him about it.

After all, there was hardly anything in common between the Summer Solstice, a mutagen, nanotechnology, an anti-technology beam, sheets of indestructible metal, and ancient Egyptian prayer stones. If Dark Kat was having something big up his paw, it was going to be a doozy.

Yet Commander Feral and Lieutenant Feral, undaunted, both met the challenge towards the prospective attacks with great planning, precision, and cunning. They and the rest of the city officials had a month to plan it, and they couldn't have been more assured of their preparations. Even if Dark Kat was expecting a full-out assault by the Enforcers, he would be thoroughly surprised to see what the Enforcers had ingeniously in store for him, Dr. Viper, the Metallikats, Hard-Drive, and Pastmaster. Felina would lead the Theta teams on the rooftops as snipers and lookout scouts to overcome any aerial attacks and spot danger from afar. Lieutenants Snow and Steele were in the Alpha teams, and the two would be the first line of defense to greet the hostile takeover with everything they got. Should Dark Kat and his alliance manage to make their way through, the Commander and his forces, the Omega Teams, would be the final wall protecting the city. Additionally, Feral and Felina also had several groups of Enforcers and volunteers meet with the outside armies coming towards the city, planning to guide them through the hidden passageways towards the city only the Enforcers knew about. With three teams fighting internally and a massive league of reinforcements attacking from the outside, the Invincible Alliance of Evil would find themselves surrounded. However, if they managed to get past Feral and overcome him, then all would be lost and Megakat City wouldn't even have a chance.

Still, as Commander Feral overlooked his army, he at least felt that everything was going according to plan. Well, at least until his yellow eyes rested in shocked outrage on one fellow kat who was nearby…

"Steele! What in hellkats are you doing here, lingering about? Get back to your post at the city limits with the Alpha teams, you useless, incompetent bumbling fool!"

Steele jumped and quivered as everyone's eyes rested on him and the livid Commander who looked ready to rip him apart limb from limb. He was trying to hide out of view in the midst of the crowds, inconspicuous in his trademark Enforcer armor and uniform along with his cache of weapons and guns at his side, but Feral still spotted him anyway. Still, no kat was ready to say the brown, lanky Lieutenant didn't deserve it; to abandon his post since they would be the first ones to be hit was nothing short of reprehensible abandonment. Steele was cowering from the huge Commander and unable to move, petrified, as he tried to stammer a defense, "I…I thought…well…Dark Kat could be back at the Enforcer base…and I thought I could stay behind and help - "

"**_GET BACK TO YOUR POST WITH THE OTHER ALPHA ENFORCERS, YOU COWARD BEFORE I COURT-MARSHAL YOUR USELESS TAIL!_**" roared Feral, at his patience's end as he grabbed the terrified Steele by the collar of his uniform and brutally dragged him along towards the second defense strike force, nearly giving the cowardly Lieutenant a kick in the rear for good measure. Feral then yelled to his niece to take charge of the Omega unit accordingly until he returned. Amid the snickering of the neighboring Enforcers at the behavior of Lieutenant Steele, Felina rolled her eyes in annoyance, unsurprised. Steele was pretty much hopeless anyway.

"There you are," Lieutenant Snow commented, highly relieved, as he saw Feral bringing Steele over to the Alpha squad, "We were about to move further out towards the docks, and I was worried something must have happened to Steele. I was about to go send some kats to look for him."

"Trust me, he's not even worth the effort!" growled Feral as he shoved Steele roughly towards the Alpha squads, "Dark Kat wouldn't even want this bumbling fool! Snow, you and your kats have your orders! Do the Enforcers proud, Snow!"

The senior Lieutenant Snow nodded strongly as he gave the order on the radio for the Alpha squads to move out and take their positions along the edges of the city limits, ready to greet Dark Kat and the rest of the criminals with a barrage of tremendous firepower. Still, despite the tense moments, many of the kats were still tittering about the humiliated Steele.

"Boy, and to think that Steele is a Lieutenant of the Enforcers," snickered one Enforcer disdainfully to a group of his friends.

Another of his friends commented snidely, "Yeah, I know what you mean. He's so self-centered and pompous and full of himself, he even thinks he'll be next in line for the Commander."

"_Pfft!_ As if! I'd sooner join the SWAT Kats than fight under Steele's command if **that** ever happens!" a she-kat scoffed in mock horror.

"Shhhh! Alexis, don't let Feral hear you say that! He's pretty sore about the SWAT Kats enough as it is!" her friend hushed warningly.

"Besides, it's pretty obvious Felina deserves to be the next Commander if her uncle should ever step down and resign from the position. After all, why not? She's tough, fair, doesn't buckle under pressure, and she's more of an Enforcer than Steele would ever be. I seriously could picture her leading the Enforcers and defending the city really well," her neighbor whispered.

"Nah, the Megakat City Council would never let her have it," one know-it-all kat broke in, "Didn't you hear? The Council thinks that she's too biased to ever serve in such a position, especially since she's in favor of the SWAT Kats and went against her uncle on that position!"

Another annoying busybody then contributed, "Really? I thought it was because of the 'National Kat-quirer' reporting that story on how T-Bone and Felina Feral were secretly married!"

"That's enough of that, Privates!" Lieutenant Snow barked forcefully, his voice crackling loudly on the radio transmissions on the solders' uniforms, ending the numerous speculations and insults, "All of you, keep your eyes and ears out for anything suspicious, especially since Dark Kat and the Alliance could strike you all faster than the eye can blink! Now keep out a sharp eye, all right? I don't want to be the one to tell your folks that you died in the war against Dark Kat nor can I tell you kats I'd be looking forward to it."

With that, the sideway discussions ended as the Enforcer squads went back to their duties while Snow decided to have a talk with Steele. It seemed like the best time, and no other kat, not even Feral and Felina, were too concerned with him. Steele was visibly quaking in his uniform as Snow approached him. Due to his position, he was all by himself as a lookout, and it probably was just as well since the rest of the Enforcers disliked him so much, they didn't really wanted to be stuck babysitting him. Snow, however, wasn't as judgmental. Even though he was over fifty and considered a bit elderly to be continuing his job as an Enforcer, Snow was fiercely dedicated to Feral and the good of the city, with his mind as sharp as a razor for laws and regulations. Feral himself admired that Lieutenant Snow always remained steadfast and absolute in any crisis, carrying out orders without the least hesitation or second thought and being in the background, holding things together as best as he could. Snow, however, was also different from Feral in that he was truly a grandfather figure for a lot of the novice rookies who join the city's unit, being compassionate, a good listener, and a heart as soft as goose-down. All the Privates respected him for his words and empathy. And right now, Snow could tell that Steele didn't need insults and condemnation, but some encouragement.

"Steele…" Snow began, but Steele heatedly cut him off, thinking that now even Snow was going to get on his case.

"Look, I know I screwed up, all right? I don't need you to remind me! I'm sorry, sorry that I let you down, sorry that I abandoned my post, all right?" the brown, young kat retorted in an intensely defense tone of voice.

Snow was not even the least offended as he said quietly, "That wasn't what I was going to say, Lieutenant."

"So what more do you want? You don't want me here, just like Felina and Feral don't want me with them on their teams! Because they all know I'd mess it up like always!"

"I want to know how you're feeling, young one," Snow said softly. It was then that Steele snapped.

"I'm scared, all right?" Steele yelled, "I'll admit it, I don't want to die! I'm scared, I'm about to face the Alliance and Dark Kat in the last stand of the Enforcers, and I'm too much of a scaredy kat to do anything about it and go fight for everyone like Feral and Felina! So go on and say it! Say I'm a pathetic excuse of an Enforcer who shouldn't even be a Private, much less a Lieutenant! Everyone else does!"

Steele, now weak from his confession, threw his rifle down on the ground in shame as he buried his face in his claws, awaiting the mocking laughter. To his surprise, Snow firmly yet compassionately laid a paw on Steele's shoulder, like a fatherly mentor, before he spoke in understanding, "It's all right to be scared, you know. It's nothing to be ashamed about. This is enough to scare any right-minded kat out of two of their nine lives."

Steele gave the elder a bitter look of doubt. He pointed out, "You aren't. Neither are Commander Feral and Felina. Neither are the rest of the Enforcers who all are willing to fight Dark Kat and give up their lives for this city."

"What makes you think we're not everyday kats like you, Steele? Of course we all are scared, scared that we'll never see our loved ones again, scared that we won't enjoy to see the next sunrise, and scared that we won't get to live out our lives to the fullest, that we'll have things we regret we didn't do."

Steele then glumly asked, "So why even bother?"

Snow gave Steele an intense look of determination as he emphasized, "Because we fight for the kats we care about, the kats we know we're devoted enough to defend for, to show Dark Kat that he can't do this…to us or to our families. Steele, keep in mind, this isn't about trying to be the next Commander of the Enforcers or gaining political power and authority. This is about the city and how we can't let kats like Dark Kat bowl us down and kick us in the gut whenever they feel like it. Funny thing about disasters, kiddo: they can cause great pain and destruction…but it brings kats together like nothing else can, cause it reminds us that in this city, we're all family."

Steele gave a snort, obviously showing he wasn't too convinced about that. Snow just raised an eyebrow, amused; he wasn't a patient kat for nothing.

"You don't sound like you put a lot of stock in that statement."

For once in his self-involved life, though he had no idea, Steele became vulnerable as he let out quietly, "If you grew up with a family like mine, you'd see that being the next Commander is the only thing I've got going for a kat like myself. I could tell you stories about my father and how I was never good enough for him."

"From where I'm standing, he was wrong, young one," Snow said sincerely as his paw slightly caringly massaged Steele's shoulder a bit. Steele was silent after that, but the peace and tranquility was suddenly shattered by a series of explosions, shaking the very pavement and rock they were all standing on.

**_KKKAAAAABBBOOOOOOOOOMMMMMMM!_**

_**KAAAWWHOOOOOOOOOOM!**_

_**BOOOOM! BOOOOOM! BOOOOOOM!**_

"Dark Kat's been sighted! Code Red-Alpha! Code Red-Alpha! The Alliance has begun to attack! Repeat: code red-alpha!" Felina shouted in the Enforcers' radio frequency, her voice now strong and determined and full of defiance as the air was rent by the multitude of bullets and firepower tearing through the air.

"Get ready, Steele," Snow said encouragingly to the trembling Lieutenant, "Now's your one chance to see what truly **is** important to you."

000-

"Johnny, are you getting this?" Ann Gora gasped excitedly as she was on a nearby rooftop, witnessing the sudden carnage. Even though the Enforcers had barricaded the war-zones from the public, Ann Gora simply took their "no" as a "try harder", and she and Johnny managed to sneak their way undetected to a nearby, evacuated skyscraper, high enough to view the sudden incoming of mummies, plants, and Black Widow robots crushing their way through from all around Megakat City.

"Yeah, I am!" the camera-kat hissed back with slight irritation as he continued to film using his camera, using a live-video feed directly back to the station. Ann then spoke into her microphone as the war began to unfold into its bloodbath.

"_This is Ann Gora, Kat's Eye News…_"

000-

"Augh! What are these things?" yelled a kat soldier as he tried to fire his gun at the numerous vines and snake-like plants attacking them. The armed forces and naval fleets sent from the nation's government had finally arrived within the city limits, but they were greeted by a rude surprise. The entire area of Megakat City was surrounded by a wall of bloodthirsty plants. Dr. Viper's mutagen had been properly used to cultivate a massive amount of flora, each pulsating unnaturally with raw energy, power, and even eerie, pulsating heartbeats, and as a result, the forces at land found themselves at the mercy of the flailing arms and leafy tentacles ripping them to shreds. Even the tanks found themselves besieged by the thick vines that were stronger than metal as they relentlessly pounded upon the vehicles. No amount of hacking from their knives could save some of the members of the army from being overwhelmed as they were torn apart forcibly by the monstrous plants, ripping them into bloody pieces while they were still screaming. It was the same in the surrounding oceans as well. The naval fleets found themselves viciously defending themselves from a colossal bevy of seaweed, the plants eagerly jamming the propellers of the strike fleets and ships while doing their best to rip into the metal hulls.

However, Feral and his Enforcers were well prepared.

"Eat tri-chloro ethane, you freaks of nature!" snarled an Enforcer as he and his teammates sprayed the plants with the disgusting, orange-colored chemical from their specially-designed hydro-packs they borrowed earlier from the Megakat City Fire Department. Ordinarily, the hydro-packs were meant for the firefighters to use for extinguishing fire with water or specially-created foam, and one pack could hold over thirty pounds of liquid, yet the Enforcers ingeniously replaced the water with tri-chloro ethane designed from Puma-Dyne, an acidic compound that specifically killed plant cells and was a major component for most weed killers.

It was an immediate effect. Shrieking and gurgling in high-pitched, gelatinous squealing, the abominations retreated back as they felt the acid eat away at their appendages instantaneously, melting the vines and roots into pools of green slime. With the force of the assault lessening, the now-free tanks fired round upon round upon the forests, incinerating each bunch in a furious nova of fire and gunpowder.

Dr. Viper, however, wasn't the least bit worried. The special Katalyst-X had given his plants a furious growth rate, multiplying their rates of mitosis cellular division by more than a thousand-fold, and with each plant that was destroyed, five or ten more took its place. The green and black-striped kat laughed gleefully, his lizard-like tail twitching with happiness at the joy of seeing his precious children wreck havoc on the city, as his vines streaked through the sewer systems and ground, tearing up many foundations to multiple buildings and causing quite a few to topple over and cave-in, trapping many innocent civilians inside or crushing them to death underneath the tons of rubble. Yet Felina then let loose another trick she had up her sleeve.

"Deploy the fire-bombs!" she commanded to the Theta Squad, and at once, several Enforcers and soldiers pressed their remote-control detonators. Automatically, the signals activated the scores and scores of Semtex bombs that Feral and his Enforcers had secretly hidden within the very pipes of the sewers themselves, and all their time searching for Jake Clawson in the sewers was made for this additional reason. And mixing an explosive with a maze of pipes naturally filled with methane gas and waste was not very good for the vegetation that was snaking its way throughout the city using the very same sewer system.

**_KAAAWWWHHOOOOOOOOOOOOOSSSSSHHHHH!_**

Dr. Viper screamed in fury as he saw his plants, his beloved and precious children, writhe in pain helplessly as the sewers completely exploded in a torrent of flames, every opening, gutter drain, and manhole spewing out columns and columns of fire rising to the sky and bathing the air with the sickening scent of burst plants and leaves. Dr. Viper's yellow eyes glowed with vengeance and incredible hate as he focused on the kat responsible for the mindless and thoughtless destruction of his hard work.

"She shall pay dearly with her own blood," Dr. Viper hissed as he scowled at the sight of Felina Feral shooting at the mummies with her rifle.

000-

Meanwhile, back at City Hall…

"Callie, just go! You don't need to be here!" Manx heatedly yelled at his protégé in his office atop City Hall on the highest level of the damaged skyscraper. Earlier, the old Mayor was planning to contact the City Council personally from his workplace and announce his resignation, effective immediately, along with his decision to personally pass on the job of Mayor to Callie Briggs as a vetoed vote of no confidence. Already, once the Mayor stepped out of the elevator, he felt the ground shake from the explosions of the war, saw the looming darkness cast from the Black Widow titans as the robotic war-crafts stormed the city, smashing everything in their path. At first, Manx was relieved that he personally declared a state-of-emergency to the city and urged everyone in City Hall to not leave their homes until Dark Kat could be stopped, leaving him by himself in the abandoned building. Yet that feeling of relief broke into shock and then melted into outrage when he entered his office to only find Callie Briggs standing at the windows, numbly watching the scene of the fighting unfold below her, her paws holding her elbows tightly.

Callie had refused to go back home; she instead put herself in the line of danger by coming to City Hall. And Manx was less than pleased and nearly out of his mind with worry for Ms. Briggs as he tried to force her to leave and go where it was safe.

Callie was obviously against the idea as she yelled back, "I'm not leaving this city when it's about to be destroyed! And I'm not going to run like a damsel in distress! I'm sick of this, sick of the bullshit from Feral, sick of cowering and waiting for someone else to fight and protect me! This is my city too, like it is for Felina and the other Enforcers! I'm making my stand here!"

"Briggs, you cannot do any good if you get yourself hurt or worse!" Mayor Manx uncharacteristically growled as he tried to shove the taller she-kat towards the door, insistent, "Just get back home or else - !"

Suddenly, the windows and walls facing the streets exploded in a flash of green, the blast of energy being so forceful, it sent both Manx and Callie flying from their feet as the entire room was desecrated with glass, splintered hunks of wood, rebar, and broken plaster. Callie was dazed and slightly disoriented as she groaned softly in the cracked, marble hallway while holding her head with one hand, her suit littered with white dust and ashes as she found her glasses and shakily put them back on. She looked back into the Mayor's office to see a terrifying sight. There, Mayor Manx was shakily getting up, using the far wall as support as the Metallikat, Mac Mange, jumped off the gigantic, green vine he was riding on and through the hole where he blasted his way through earlier. Where the gigantic windows once were was now only a smoldering, gaping hole with a few traces of shattered glass all around the frames as the robot pounced through the opening and landed heavily on the carpeted floor, the pieces of glass cracking underneath his alloy claws. Manx was trembling visibly as the henchkat of Dark Kat approached him, like a cat cornering a mouse at a dead end. In the confusion, Mac must have failed to notice Callie partially hidden in the hallway and thought that Manx was in his office alone. Callie couldn't leave Manx and abandon him, but she didn't know what to do at first until she noticed the red fire extinguisher still hanging on its attachment on the wall.

Mac's gun was still smoking from the harsh energy blast he discharged as he laughed soullessly at the portly mayor, "Forgive me for droppin' in, Manx, but I decided to personally deal with you myself. Now, where's the Deputy Mayor?"

"She's not here! She's back at her home hiding from the likes of you!" Manx managed to hiss defiantly as he collapsed weakly to the floor again in fright. At least it wouldn't be a complete loss; he could buy Callie some time to escape.

"Then this'll be just as sweet," sneered Mac as he pointer his robotic arm-blaster directly at Manx's head.

Suddenly, a plume of foam and white, thick haze engulfed the air around the Metallikat as he sputtered from the heavy, suffocating layers of retardant dousing his body and slightly weighing him down. Manx turned to see Callie bravely emptying the last of the fire extinguisher from behind before she grabbed the hose and swung the metal apparatus like a mace, smartly bringing it down on the side of Mac's head. The robotic monster howled, wiping his eyes and face furiously, as sparks coming out from the dent made in his shiny temple, as his circuits and computer mainframe went into furious backup-mode from the damage brought on by the sticky chemicals seeping into his motherboards.

"Run Mayor!" Callie gasped as she rushed over to Manx's side and grabbed his paw, trying to drag him out of the warpath of Mac Mange. Manx, now incredibly grateful, grasped Callie by her hand as they both tried to dash out of the room and towards the stairways. Yet a second blast from the doors in front of them sent them flying backwards only to come crashing down hard to the floor of the Mayor's office. Slightly injured and bruised, Callie managed to raise herself in a sitting position weakly to see Molly Mange, the second Metallikat, wickedly and triumphantly readying her blaster appendage as she stepped through the smoking rubble of the entrance only to reveal herself in her full, shiny regalia, like a finely polished knife, razor-sharp and deadly.

"Look at what the kat dragged in," Molly laughed in her strong Brooklyn accent as she pointed her blaster at Callie Briggs. Manx then did a very noble and brave act as, grunting, he weakly managed to rise on his two feet before placing himself between Callie and the Metallikat as a shield. Callie was shocked, but the Metallikat was unbothered.

"Suit yourself," the female android snarled as she fired at the old kat. Manx's body was throw back and sent flying in the air once again over Callie's head before coming to a sickening thud against the far wall behind his desk. Callie inwardly cried as she saw the charred, blackened cadaver slide down the blood-spattered paint onto the floor, the odor of burnt flesh permeating the air amongst the smoggy clouds of dust and plaster. She forced herself to look away from the dead Mayor as she glared at Molly Mange with the utmost loathing and hate, tears streaming down her angry face.

"You…bitch! You heartless bitch!" Callie sobbed.

"And you're next, Briggs!" Molly said as she readied her weapon again, but Mac's harsh voice cracked through the air as the stout Metallikat stopped his wife from carrying out the task.

"Cool it, Molly! Y'know how much I wanna see you give this she-kat what she's got coming to her, but Dark Kat said he wants her to be publicly killed in front of everyone in the city! Said he's got a special idea in store for her. Look, either way, she's gonna die, but at least we get to see everyone watch her die if we follow through! And once she's gone, we can tell Dark Kat to go screw himself while we take off and do whatever we please!"

Even though Molly wanted to tell Mac to take that suggestion to a very uncomfortable place, she then thought better of it as she lowered her blaster as Mac hefted the screaming, struggling Deputy Mayor over his shoulder before both of the Metallikats leapt out of the window and onto the safety net of the vines before the plants gently brought them back to the ground. Callie squirmed, screamed bloody murder, and cursed enough profanities to make a sailor blush, yet she could not get free. Helpless, she cast a final, fleeting glance at the body of Mayor Manx through her blurred, tear-filled eyes as she was taken to her public slaying.

000-

"What goes up must come down!" cackled Hard-Drive as he let loose the Vertigo Beam on another Blackhawk Enforcer helicopter, sending it plummeting down to the ground. Luckily, the pilot managed to parachute out before the heavy weight crashed directly into the chest of a nearby mummy sentinel, causing it to howl in pain from the sudden, charred hole gouged directly in the middle of its torso. The rest of the mummy sentinels were having a hard time fighting against the Behemoth tanks of the Enforcers, especially since they had enough missiles, bullets, and firepower to take out a small country alone, much less a fifty-foot tall bandaged monstrosity. Hard-Drive then tried to use the Vertigo Beam on the Behemoth tanks, but to his surprise, it had no effect. The insurmountable armored cars still continued to let loose upon the mummies without pause, raining down upon them charge after charge of various missiles. Hard-Drive then decided to do things the hard way as he charged his suit, converting himself into a stream of raw electricity before flinging himself towards the mass of mechanical tanks, intent on shorting them out. Yet to his horror, the instant he came close to the Behemoth tanks, he was flung back painfully by a powerful energy force-field, stunning the criminal and causing him to revert back into his kat form. Taking the advantage, a nearby she-kat Enforcer sprayed Hard-Drive instantly with a chalky, white foamy material with another hydro-pack she was carrying.

"What…did you do…to me?" growled Hard-Drive as he tried to electrocute the Enforcer, only to find that his suit was suddenly nonresponsive.

"Did you really think we wouldn't have been prepared for you to take over the computer systems of the Behemoths like you did last time? We're not that stupid, Hard-Drive! Thank Puma-Dyne for that one, for they gave us the ability to increase the electrical barriers around each tank, and it's strong enough to resist the Vertigo Beam and even your electrical-conducting suit!" the she-kat grinned as more and more Enforcers surrounded the member of Dark Kat's alliance.

Another Enforcer then crowed, "And don't even bother with that voltage suit, creep. It's a special type of insulating-foam designed by Puma-Dyne, all of it non-flammable and completely one-hundred percent resistant to electricity. In fact, the dust was specially designed to suppress that handy-dandy jacket of yours."

It was then that Hard-Drive grinned.

"Funny you should call me 'creep'," the terrorist grinned as he snapped his fingers. Immediately, hordes upon hordes of Dark Kat's creeplings, the demonic, miniature, and mindless genetic creatures of Dark Kat ambushed the Enforcers, and even though they all tried to fire their bullets and use their clubs, they all fell screaming victim to the thousands of claws and teeth as they were all eaten alive, like a swarm of rats to a piece of cheese. Hard-Drive just grinned sickeningly at the carnage.

000-

"Steele, **WATCH OUT!**" roared Lieutenant Snow at the relatively-novice Enforcer. Steele turned to see the Pastmaster aim his magical clock directly at his body, but it was too late for the brown kat to do anything as the magical burst of energy surged out of the clock's face before rushing directly at the young lieutenant. Steele was frozen, too scared to do anything but watch dumbly as the glittering, hot, searing energy approached closer and closer by every millisecond.

Yet before the energy struck, Steele felt himself get haphazardly shoved to the side, narrowly missing the power of the Pastmaster by a hair's width. Yet it was not without dire consequences.

"YYYAAAAAARRRRRGGGGGGHHHH!" yowled Lieutenant Snow as the crackling nova of time and space from the clock consumed his body, setting every cell in his body on fire. Steele was stunned and horrified. Lieutenant Snow had pushed Lieutenant Steele out of the beam's path…only to get hit himself.

"No!" cried Steele, nearly in tears, unable to do anything as he saw the body of the grizzled Snow age rapidly and disintegrate into a living, sickly skeleton before his very eyes in mere seconds. Snow was turning into dust, and thanks to the magic of the Pastmaster's clock, years were passing by and wrecking havoc on his body in fleeting instants. Feeling the merciful gift of death relieve him from his dying body, Snow managed to gasp out his last words to Steele, pleading.

"Steele…tell…my wife…" and with that, the brave Lieutenant Snow died, leaving his plea unfinished, as he turned to ashes and dust, blowing away softly into nothingness in the chaotic currents of wind. Steele wept, on his hands and knees, at a complete loss.

In a matter of minutes, Dark Kat and his Invincible Alliance managed to turn the tide as they struck hard and effectively during the chaos and the disasters. Dr. Viper managed to capture Felina Feral from her position on the roof as he had his plants take care of the Theta squads. The Metallikats returned with the struggling Callie Briggs, and Feral was immediately overwhelmed by the massive armies of creeplings as they pinned him down and carried him in chains to their master. Upon the sight of their Commander being at Dark Kat's power, the rest of the Enforcers were unsure what to do as they unwillingly and reluctantly ceased their attacks, especially when Dark Kat, in his daunting attire, bellowed for all of hear, "**_CEASE YOUR ATTACKS! YOUR COMMANDER AND YOUR DEPUTY MAYOR ARE OUR PRISONERS!_**"

"Oh no…" gasped Ann Gora, watching from above, as she held a paw to her mouth in tears.

Dark Kat then crowed triumphantly, "You see, you pathetic fools! You all have no hope for this city! You shall all live and die by my hands, my will, my fates! The Incredible Alliance of Evil shall govern all who breathe and walk with our authority and will! None shall defy us, for we are all truly invincible!"

With that, Dark Kat grabbed Feral by the collar of his trench-coat with one claw, lifting the Commander of the Enforcers by the fabric of his uniform, nearly choking the kat, as the tyrant raised Feral high in front of him for everyone to see, like a trophy.

"You were never fated to win, you fool! My master had proclaimed that I would be the true ruler of this city, the savior and messiah that would lead this pathetic race into the true blessings of power and katkind! Now beg me for you pathetic life! Beg me! Acknowledge me as your superior, and I will let you live!"

Feral managed to hack a bit before he spat a hairball into Dark Kat's face, the soggy mess running down the mastermind's eye and cheek, cursing, "Go to hell, criminal scum."

With a roar, Dark Kat slammed Feral down to the ground, the force of his throw so powerful, Feral's body cracked the black pavement slightly upon impact as the Commander mercifully lost consciousness. Dark Kat then unsheathed his blade hidden in his cane, ready to plunge it into Feral's chest and heart.

"No!" screamed Callie as she fought against the grip Mac had on her arm.

Felina, unable to break free from the vines snaring her legs and claws, screamed as loudly as she could, "**_Leave him alone! Leave him alone, you asshole! I swear, Dark Kat, if you hurt him, I'll get you if it's the last thing I do!_**"

"I will not worry, my dear Felina," Dark Kat purred cruelly as he raised the sword high, "You shall be joining your dear Uncle quite soon."

Yet before the metal blade could strike, a voice rang out of nowhere, "Hammer missiles…AWAY!"

Before Dark Kat could react, a barrage of tiny shells came rushing through like a swarm of heavy hail from his blind spot, each projectile powerfully propelled by a jet engine and armed with a flat, leaden steel-head in front, like the heavy end of a sledgehammer. Dark Kat managed to twist out the way, but he could not escape the swarm as one struck the cane out of his claw, breaking two of his fingers upon impact. Another missile skillfully struck the very metal blade of the sword in sync of the first missile, neatly snapping the sword into two and shattering it into two, useless pieces. The rest of the barrage just painfully struck Dark Kat's body, each hitting him with as much force as if someone repeatedly bashed Dark Kat hard with a heavy, lead pipe.

"What!" gasped Lieutenant Steele as he, Felina, the Enforcers, Ann Gora and Johnny K., Callie, Dark Kat and the Invincible Alliance of Evil turned towards the source of the missiles with rage, wonder, or bewilderment.

It was Jake, standing there with suppressed rage in his torn G-suit without his trademark mask, his arm and glovatrix primed and ready for another shot as they were both aimed directly at Dark Kat. Next to him within a few steps was his trusty black, blue and red Cyclotron motorcycle.

"Back off, Dark Crud!" Jake roared, "Your fight's with me now!"

**Author's note: I hope you guys enjoyed this chapter cause I wasn't so sure about how to write about the siege and how the Enforcers would be able to handle it! Action sequences are very difficult to write about! However, you WON'T want to miss the next chapter! Now that Jake is in the mix, will he succeed in his plan? And I will finally reveal what Dark Kat was planning along with the identity of his master! And lastly, I will reveal a VERY big twist in the SWAT Kats universe that I created specifically for this story! Folks, you won't want to miss the chapter next Friday, "A Hero Never Stands Alone"! Until then, read and review! Constructive criticism welcome, and can you guess who Dark Kat's master is? I left enough clues in the chapters to tell, and if you can guess the master, then you might be able to guess the big twist that's coming!**


	7. A Hero Never Stands Alone

**CHAPTER 7: A Hero Never Stands Alone**

"Jake!" cried Callie with relief as Molly the Metallikat, in her insane rage, tightened her grip on the she-kat's body, almost mad enough to rip the Deputy Mayor into bloody shreds with her bare claws herself.

"Ah, shaddup, Briggs!" snapped Molly.

"Clawson is here?" gasped Lieutenant Steele, not sure what to feel about the situation.

"He must be here to watch his boss off Feral and Ms. Briggs like the traitorous lap-kat he is!" growled an Enforcer as he was so mad at Jake's audacity, he was about to point his rifle and shoot the SWAT Kat right then and there. Yet his friends stopped him.

"What the hellkats are you thinking, Brian?" hissed one nearby officer, "If Clawson and Dark Kat are at odds, let 'em fight each other out! If Razor dies, at least he'll be able to weaken the Alliance enough to allow us to save Feral and stop them! And if Jake manages to defeat them, we'll be able to haul his tail back to Alkatraz and take the bounty Feral's offering!"

"I second that!" agreed another kat, white with brown stripes, "With more than a million dollars at stake, it'll be enough to pay our salaries for the next four years if we can bring in that SWAT Kat! Not to mention go down as the greatest Enforcers in history!"

Jake just solemnly stood there, ignoring the crowds and the camera Johnny K. was focusing in on him, aiming his glovatrix at Dark Kat, unafraid of being outnumbered and without any allies or partner in this fight. He was alone, and it made him all the more eager to join up with Chance again.

"Ah, my dear Jake Clawson…or should I call you by your SWAT Kat alias, 'Razor'?" Dark Kat purred as Dr. Viper, the Metallikats, Pastmaster, and Hard-Drive glared at the vigilante hero.

"Drop the pleasantries, Dark Crud," Jake growled as he indicated to Felina and Callie with a nod of his head, "Let them go. They have no part in this. Just let them go, and we'll settle this score once and for all."

"And why should we do that, SWAT Kat?" snarled Mac as he pointed his blaster at Jake.

"Because I'll gladly take their place, Chrome-Dome. Let Callie and Felina go, and I'll gladly be your hostage in return. I'll willingly die if you let them go."

"Jake, no!" cried out Callie before Molly then wrapped her arm around the she-kat's throat in a stranglehold, choking her from blurting anything else out.

"I'm warnin' you, shut your trap!" snarled Molly.

"Jake…" murmured Felina in sorrow, unsure whether to be touched or to feel irritated at such foolishness. Yet Dr. Viper was unappeased by the request and offering as his plants suddenly sprung to life.

"Either way, you would still die, SWAT Kat! Kill him, my brethren! Rip him to pieces and use his remains for fertilizer!" At once, a huge barrage of plants rushed out towards Jake, snaking from various angles and directions, ready to surround the brave kat and gorge him in an instant.

"Hey, this isn't a fair fight!" Johnny K. roared in protest from the rooftops, inwardly cheering on Jake loyally and fervently praying that the SWAT Kat would live.

"Leave Clawson alone, you flower-power nutcase!" Steele shouted, now intent on firing a few rounds at Dr. Viper, hoping to help the odds on Clawson and somehow allow him enough time to rescue Feral, Felina, and Callie. Unfortunately, Dr. Viper was not eager for interference as another separate group of vines and flowering roots erupted from the very ground all the neighboring Enforcers were standing on, and the force of the emerging vines sent all of the Enforcers flying, screaming as they hurtled in the air and crashed down onto the hard pavement. Luckily for them, Dr. Viper was more interested in killing Clawson rather than paying attention to the Enforcer squads. Jake just coolly shot a grapping-claw from his glovatrix at the ledge of a nearby building before hoisting himself up in the air, narrowly missing the vegetation as he hoisted himself in the air, the line reeling him upwards, before suspending himself and running alongside the very surface of the building, his paws scurrying across the window-panes, defying gravity.

"What is that fool doing?" snarled Dr. Viper as Jake managed to avoid a second strike from the herbage, rendering the windows to shards of flying glass, as the brown-furred kat managed to neatly somersault onto the ground in a graceful leap before running down the street, trying to avoid the vines, leading the plants away from the Enforcers, "The fool knows better than to retreat! There's no place for him to run!"

Jake then shot several fluid-filled capsules at the plants, yelling, "Weed-killer bombs…AWAY!"

With a loud hiss and discharges of smoke, the fragile pouches of rubber exploded upon contact on the tough exterior of the vines, and the plants once again curdled and writhed from the chemical of tri-chloro ethane eating away at their skin and flesh like acid. Yet a few small capsules did little to extinguish the life of a whole mass of carnivorous plants.

"Give it up, SWAT Kat!" snarled Dr. Viper, "My specimens are much hardier and stronger now thanks to my mutagens! Not even your missiles and tricks from your weapons can destroy them, and for every plant you kill, a dozen more shall take its place!"

Yet Jake kept running, and none of the Alliance noticed that Jake was leading them further and further away, all of them lost in the anticipation of the chase.

"This shall stop him! Prepare to die from old age of a thousand years, Clawson! Pay for your treachery of allying yourself with Queen Callista!" shrieked the Pastmaster as the kat-skeleton aimed his clock at the running figure and fired an intense beam of time-magic at the SWAT Kat, but miraculously, Jake managed to make a flying leap, narrowly avoiding the blast and having it hit the plants tailing after him instead. With a dying wail, the plants withered and shriveled, turning black with death and drying up as they all turned a thousand years old, with the Pastmaster's magic maturing them at a deadly rate before rendering them to dust. Dr. Viper was beyond livid as he cursed at his ally.

"You killed my precious pets! You killed them!" he shrieked in incense as he jumped up and down in a furious temper, shaking his green fist at the sorcerer, cursing.

"Ah, stop your whinin', Doc! You've got plenty of plants where they came from!" Mac, the male Metallikat snorted as he then fired a hot surge of energy from his arm, yet Jake then aimed his glovatrix again at the robot before firing a stream of five missiles. The metal kat wasn't the least bit scared.

"I'm not falling for that trick again, Clawson!" Mac bellowed as he incinerated the projectiles with his weapon, but to his shock, the minute they disintegrated, they exploded, releasing their various surprises. Two let out plumes of black, thick smoke which blinded the Metallikat's vision while the other three released their contents of hydrochloric acid, the caustic liquid actually spattering all around them and getting on the plants and the android-assassin. Mac at first cursed as the liquid tarnished his metallic surface, but he later crowed as he stepped out of the smoke and led the chase after Jake along with Dr. Viper and Pastmaster.

"You think that can stop me, SWAT Kat? Nothing you do can damage me! Thanks to Dark Kat's nanotechnology we stole from Puma-Dyne, all my circuitry can fix anything you throw at me and it'll reconstruct my body as good as new, just like Dark Kat did with his Black Widows! Face it, ya' chump! Nothing you can do can stop us from stringin' your guts all over this town and painting it red with your blood!"

Jake then sprinted as fast as he could, feeling the Invincible Alliance of Evil tailing him. Just a couple of feet more…

Jake then felt himself sent flying as the plants erupted again through the rock in front of him, and riding on the vines were the numerous creeplings joining along in the kill, in the hunt. Jake cursed. He was out of the weed-killer bombs, and knowing how Dark Kat reinforced his servants, the creeplings themselves were also probably genetically altered to endure anything the SWAT Kat could throw at him. It was risky, but…

He had to chance it. Hopefully, Callie and Felina could be resourceful enough to survive until the Enforcers could rescue them. With the black-hole grenade hidden in the glovatrix, Jake prepared for the one final shot, his emotions running the gauntlet from relieved to depressingly suicidal.

"Ready to die, Clawson?" Dark Kat asked from the background in his deep voice, almost inviting the opportunity to kill him.

"You first, Dark Crud!" roared Jake, but before he could set off the grenade, to his horror, he found himself suddenly lifted off the ground, only to be restrained by an invisible hand, the air around him crushing him like a vise, pinning his paws to his side. Fur and paw, every muscle in his body was unresponsive, dead, lifeless! It was like he was no longer in control of his body!

"Trying to use the black-hole grenade on our little organization, Clawson?" Dark Kat said triumphantly as his eyes narrowed, "I must say I am quite surprised at your willingness to sacrifice yourself for this pitiful race. It is not every day I am willing to see a kat endure so much to fight the inevitable."

With a cackle, the criminal Hard-Drive turned into a stream of electricity before immersing itself into Jake's glovatrix, rendering it useless and non-functioning, the entire glove crackling and smoking from the intense heat and voltage before popping back out into the open.

"Too bad for your little toy, Clawson," laughed Hard-Drive, "With your glovatrix shorted out, you'll never be able to set off that black hole!" Jake then gritted his teeth as he tried a final resort, his paw moving for the little weapon he had strapped to his side. With a roar, Jake hurled a sharpened piece of steel directly at Dark Kat like a spear, flying so fast, it took less than a second as it traveled in the space between and lodged itself into Dark Kat's heart.

_Spuck!_

Jake managed to smile in satisfaction at seeing the shaft of metal embedded itself deep in the middle of Dark Kat's chest. It was a sure-shot, a instant kill. No kat could ever survive a spike stabbed lethally into the heart, but then Jake's victory melted into fear and amazed dread as he saw that Dark Kat was still standing, unaffected from the fact that he had been brutally staked, as he glared at Jake.

"You now have truly begun to anger me, SWAT Kat," Dark Kat growled as he waved his paw at Jake, and in a split-second, Jake was sent flying across the air before he crashed against the side of the wall. Jake groaned, trying to prevent himself from swimming in the blissful darkness as he felt blood dribble down his forehead, matting his fur as he felt himself lifted into the air again by an unseen force. Easily and smoothly, Dark Kat removed his black-and-red cape, showing that he was wearing a strange, metallic suit of armor riddled with the stolen circuitry and technology from Puma-Dyne and displaying the mysterious relics stolen from the Megakat City Museum, the artifacts embedded into the metal of the suit like trophy gems of decoration, lining Dark Kat's chest-plate and wrist-armor like decorative ornaments. And to Jake's surprise, the metal spike was still deeply lodged into Dark Kat's chest, bringing forth a little blood. Dark Kat was unbothered as his left claws excruciatingly pulled the metal spike from his heart before casting it aside with a small clang. To Jake's further amazement, the stab wound healed up and closed with a sickening squelch, self-mending itself until there was no trace of the wound left.

Jake wasn't the only one taken aback. The rest of the Alliance were now staring at Dark Kat like he was the devil-incarnate himself.

"How the hellkats?" gaped Hard-Drive.

"What sorcery is this, Dark Kat?" the Pastmaster asked suspiciously. The Metallikats and Dr. Viper just narrowed their eyes suspiciously at the leader of the alliance. If he kept something like this hidden from his own allies, then it was pretty obvious he had more devious plans and secrets up his sleeve.

"It is of no sorcery, Pastmaster, but my gift, my birthright! And now, my dear Clawson, I have been awaiting this day with the keenest of obsessions! My master shall be pleased once he sees that he shall finally emerge from his unjust prison in the astral plane in order to command this world!"

"What?" croaked Jake, his voice hoarse and dry.

"Hey, wait a cotton-pickin' minute, here!" snapped Mac, "You never said anything about no master! And what's this astral plane junk you're spewing out?"

"I should have known better than to trust y**ou**, Dark Kat!" hissed Dr. Viper.

"It is no concern of you, Viper! And you fools should all feel honored to meet my master for the very first time! For it is here, and only here, in Megakat City that I can free him from his prison! No other place in the planet has such a thin border between our reality and the astral plane! And now, with the deaths and bountiful feast of so many wandering and lost souls, upon the day of the Solstice, the time has come! Now, my master, ARISE! **ARISE!**"

"He's gone nuts!" gasped Molly.

Jake didn't seem to think so, especially when Dark Kat's body began to glow in a dark luster, his entire aura growing more powerful with each second as the purple-demon kat chanted in a foreign tongue, confusing the henchkats, the Enforcers and the civilians all around them.

"Now Master, reveal your might! In the name of your power, break through the doorway of the Inner Eye!"

With a roar, the prayer stones gleamed into such harsh intensity, it was like staring into a multitude of suns and supernovas, and the light engulfed the area the Enforcers and the Alliance were all standing on. Upon the glare, the very air trembled all around the city, and every one of the kats could feel something huge, something powerful, something insurmountable digging its way through the medium of reality all around them. It was as if every kats' psyche was deeply connected to the walls of time and space surrounding them and for some unknown reason, they could sense something pushing its way through.

"Oh my God!" Ann Gora gasped, her paw to her mouth in horror as she saw what was emerging from the dimensional rift. She was so startled, she dropped the microphone she was holding, and the metallic instrument cracked against the stone roof as the sound-input screeched painfully from the interference.

"What the hell is that thing?" Johnny K. shouted in fright as he removed his face from the eyepiece of the camera, his eyes so wide, the whites could be seen all around.

As if in slow motion, the kats all around the Alliance could only look on in horror and disbelief as the very air and fabric of reality behind Dark Kat flashed softly in an crooked line of white light before it began to rip open, a tear in the continuum of space and time which slowly yet steadily began to grow bigger and bigger. The air and winds picked up immediately, roaring higher and higher in intensity due to absence of any medium from the area, and the pressures all around the crowd increased, the howling zephyrs rivaling those of a hurricane. Though several Enforcers tried firing their guns at the rip and one brave kat even fired his bazooka charge directly in the center, the portal completely swallowed them up into an endless black-nothingness as the doorway continued to swell. In the rip, everyone could see the swirling masses of lights similar to the colors of the Northern lights, the Aurora Borealis, as the rip in reality now yawned into the size of a football field.

It was then that the Alliance, Jake, the Enforcers, and every kat watching the live footage on Kat's Eye News saw what was emerging from the portal of the astral plane.

Ann Gora let out a small scream as she took several steps backward.

Johnny K. just stood still in shock, his camera's eye still pointed directly at the rift and broadcasting the image for every kat in the world to witness, yet the fact that he was still filming was entirely lost to the camera-kat.

Felina Feral had her words fail her, dying in her throat, as she just stared at the figure with a growing feeling of ice threatening to paralyze every one of her muscles.

Callie's gasps became deep heaves as she nearly hyperventilated any cool air to prevent her from screaming her head off and ease her pounding heart as she unconsciously grasped the Metallikat's metal paw in some form of support.

Lieutenant Steele fell to his knees, his entire body threatening to buckle as he felt nauseous and the urge to faint right then and there.

Upon seeing the live feed on Kat's Eye News, the President at the nation's capital jumped out of his seat from the White House as his Senate and Congress just gasped and murmured in extreme nervousness and dread, truly realizing that this could very well be a national, if not worldly, crisis. As billions upon billions of he-kats, she-kats, and kittens just watched on TV, morbidly terrified and curious and at an uproar, the President blurted out in alarm, "What in the hellkats is that!"

Every one of the Alliance members were just as surprised as the Enforcers around them if not more so. The Pastmaster was actually afraid; truly, deathly, and bloodcurdlingly afraid for once in his entire existence. Dr. Viper narrowed his eyes in suspicion upon the sight of Dark Kat's revealed master, his face twisted with a mixture of aversion and dislike. Hard-Drive was babbling like a complete idiot as he kept pointing wildly at the luminous giant. The creeplings were all as still as statues, their eyes glassy and their toothy jaws gaping and ajar.

"Holy kats, Mac! Who or what **is** that?" Molly asked, taken aback and amazed.

"Whatever it is, I don't like it!" snarled Mac at the sight.

Despite all the oddities Jake had seen and endured while he and Chance had battled evil as the SWAT Kats, despite the adventures of time travel, alternate dimensions, magical entities, ghosts, mutants, and aliens, Jake could have honestly said that this was truly the most horrifying sight he could have ever witnessed.

There, in the middle of the rip in the reality-time continuum and hovering above Dark Kat, was an ethereal, ghostly specter of a gigantic kat's head, the actual size of the apparition filling the entire size of the portal itself. It was certainly large and much more demonic and hellish than any image ever possibly conceived by any right-minded kat. The entire head was outlined with the faint ghostly outline of spiritual and magical white aura, translucent and ghastly pale, except for the kat's narrow and slit eyes which were yellow, pupil-less and glowing hotly with rage and wicked glee. It was so easy to remain numb and motionless from staring at those endless pools of harsh yellow and have the light swallow your soul at once, as if those haunted and dangerous eyes had no soul and life of their own and needed to feast upon other life-forces like a parasite, like a predator on the weak. The humanoid-kat was bone-chillingly eerie, with strong, gaunt cheekbones, a well-formed cranium and large ears, a thick, muscular neck and a square jaw, formidable and firm. It was a face of a warrior, a tyrant, and a merciless warlord all rolled into one. Each tuft of fur on the kat was meticulously smooth and patted down, as if the specter had never been trapped in the astral plane for thousands of years and the kat appeared to be the apex of eternal might, youth, and vigor. Everything about the head screamed ruthlessness and unlimited power and strength, but deep inside, all the kats could feel something else. Evil. Pure, dark, unrelenting and terrifying evil, more dangerous and insane than the Katchu-Pichu demon, than Dr. Viper, than Mad Kat, than every single physical foe and criminal and entity that had ever dared wreck havoc and war upon Megakat City put together.

Everyone felt the cold seep into their bones as the head then finally croaked its very first words in ten-thousand years, each word making the head's vulpine and sickening smile wider and more disturbing as he bellowed in a deep, harsh voice.

"**_I…AM…FREE!_**"

000-

"_Mein Gott!_" gasped Kurt as he and the other X-Men were watching the scene unfold on the TV transmission they had inside their vehicle's spacious chamber while speedily making their way towards Megakat City.

Roberto then shouted, "What the hell is that thing? It's huge!"

"**_That's_** Dark Kat's master?" asked Forge in shock, "Whoa, he's not exactly what I'd expected!"

Scott then frowned as he peered on the face. There was something familiar about that figure, about the face, about how those eyes and that strange demeanor of superiority and solemn desecration that seemed so…familiar.

Ray shouted, nearly panicking, "We have to hurry! We need to go faster!"

Dr. Hackle shook his head as he explained, "It would do no good, Raymond. The Cybertron 2 android is going as fast as it possibly can, and despite the ability to progress through rough terrains and mountains, we had to take the long way through the shallow waters leading back to the mainland since the android isn't built for underwater-travel like a submarine, and we couldn't simply follow Jake's Aquain ship by following him across the ocean."

Jean then suddenly gave a soft scream as she clutched her head painfully, and the Professor X was also following suit, wincing at the swift throbbing in his temples and brainstem. The disturbance in the boundaries between the planes of reality and the astral plane were painful, the two telepaths being so sensitive to the destructive entry, it was like hot lead was poured inside their skulls and over their brains and nervous system.

"Jean!" gasped Scott as he rushed over to his girlfriend's aid. Yet the red-haired mutant soon recovered as she shakily inhaled cool breaths to clear her pounding head as Cyclops helped her back to her feet.

Ororo then helped Xavier get his bearings, but the Professor was now alarmed and concerned. Such power! Such hale and ease to tear through the walls and limits of time and space! This was a powerful foe, more powerful than Magneto and Emma Frost and the Sentinel forces from Trask.

"Charles, whatever is the matter? What happened?" Storm asked in worry.

"Jake has no idea what he is up against," murmured Professor X as he looked at his students with apprehension, "And to be honest, I have no idea what we are up against either!"

Abi then inhaled loudly in a large gasp as her quick mind then arranged all the pieces of the puzzle in place. The prayer stones of the powerful pharaoh, Rama-Tut. A prisoner in the astral plane. The female curator and professor then knew the identity of the mysterious entity.

"Dr. Hackle, X-Men, we have to stop Dark Kat's master from coming into our world!" Dr. Sinian cried out as she hurriedly started typing furiously into her laptop that was balanced haphazardly in the crook of her arm, trying her best to draw out the documents from Megakat City museum's database via her wireless connection.

"Mz. Sinian, I think that one was pretty obvious!" Sam pointed out, fighting the urge to sound irritated. Yet the she-kat curator was still adamant as she then broke out her suspicions.

"No, you don't understand! I've finally figured out what Dark Kat was trying to achieve and who the identity of his master is! If Dark Kat is receiving orders from who I think it is, the entire city and indeed, all of kat-kind shall die! The entire **world** is in danger!"

"Why? What's the big deal, Dr. Sinian? What makes this furball more dangerous than Dark Kat?" Rogue asked breathlessly.

Abi clarified as she drew out scanned images of the Egyptian hieroglyphics and writings about Rama-Tut on her computer screen, "I should have known it was him! The fact that the Pastmaster stole the prayer stones of the pharaoh kat, Rama-Tut just cemented the theory! X-Men, Dr. Hackle, in the legends of Rama-Tut's rule, there was a side story about a group of desert-riders called the Sandstormers in Egypt who challenged the rule of Rama-Tut, claiming that he had no right to govern over them when he himself was not of their world. Though most of the population dismissed such charges as pure speculation and crazy-talk, Rama-Tut ordered his guards to capture the desert mavericks, and with a massive army, after seven days of bloodshed and fighting, all but one of the Sandstormers were captured and beheaded for their crimes against the pharaoh. The one who escaped did not emerge until five weeks later and challenged Rama-Tut to a battle of wills and magic, claiming himself to avenge the death of his father. In fact, the kat who survived was the son of the very leader of the Sandstormers, a warlord-kat named Baal."

"But what does this have to do with the thefts that the Alliance of Evil committed along with the thing with Rama-Tut?" Piotr asked, still not getting it.

"Because in the legends, Rama-Tut and Baal's son fought such a ferocious battle, it nearly destroyed all of the world, and actually led the state of ruins to Egypt as of this very day! It was so devastating that it was later recorded as the day the very Earth nearly tore in two! The fight claimed to result in such awesome displays of power and magic never before witnessed and seemed to threaten the very essence of life itself! Yet finally, Rama-Tut managed to use his magic and power to kill Baal's son, and to further punish him for his defiance, the pharaoh sent the soul of the last Sandstormer into the realm of lost souls where the Egyptian God of Death, Seth, would chain him to the prison of the land of lost dreams forever and ever!"

"Yeah…and?" Ray demanded impatiently. Yet Jean then remembered the feeling of disturbance she just felt seconds ago.

"Oh my gosh! The realm of lost souls! The land of dreams! It's also known as the astral plane, isn't it, Abi? The dimension that coincides with the plane of reality that is a higher level of consciousness and time, only achievable by dreaming or by death according to some philosophers! That's the link, isn't it! This powerful desert-kat is trapped in the astral plane, and he's also Dark Kat's master! That's what Dark Kat is trying to do, isn't he? **_He's trying to free his master!_**"

"Yes, exactly!" Abi replied in dread, "That's another reason why I guessed it was Baal's son! Today is the Summer Solstice, and according to pagans and kats immersed in magical arts, it is one of the nine days that is the holiest because it is when the boundaries between the astral plane and the real world are the thinnest! It makes sense now why Dark Kat would command the Alliance to attack on this day! Because it's the one few days where he can actually succeed to release his master and allow him to escape into our reality! Don't you X-Men see now? That's why Dark Kat and the Invincible Alliance of Evil made those thefts, because those were the tools Dark Kat needed to free his master from the astral plane! And he must have chosen Megakat City because it must have been a location where it was weak enough to break through the astral realm!"

Remy then asked, "But what's so dangerous about one kat, _femme_?"

"Because this particular desert-warrior had powers of a demi-god, Remy! And if he's released, he'll be able to achieve his goal of world-rule! It was stated in ancient texts that Baal's son believed in survival of the fittest, and that in order for all kats to truly survive from the dangers of natural selection and disaster, then they too, must undergo the rituals he had gone through himself and reshape the world in his image!"

"But how on earth can that be, Abi!" gasped Dr. Hackle, "Not even the Pastmaster could achieve such a thing, and he himself is a powerful mage of black magic of untold proportions! How can one kat of ancient times be able to do such a thing?"

Dr. Sinian yelled, "Because in the legends and ancient texts of Egypt, the desert-rider was a kat with 'abilities blessed beyond the normal kat-kind'! As in he was born with special gifts of great power and destruction, powers far beyond any capable magic and technology! Think about it, X-Men! Doesn't that sound oddly familiar to you?"

Professor Xavier then guessed what Abi was trying to imply.

Professor X then blurted out in horrified awe, "**_Dark Kat's master is a mutant!_**"

"No way!" gasped Bobby.

"Dr. Sinian, what was the mutant's name? The kat that fought against Rama-Tut?" Ororo asked in shock.

"The desert-warrior's name was _En Sabah Nur_."

The name instantly clicked in every one of the X-Men's heads as they then realized the true intent of Dark Kat. They had all earlier dealt with the exact same enemy in Egypt with Mesmero and failed in preventing the mind-wizard from achieving the very same thing in their world.

"Oh damn it to hell," cursed Beast, his arms limp at his sides.

"It's Apocalypse!" snarled Wolverine.

"Goddess, it's not possible!" gasped Storm.

As their vehicle then finally managed to arrive at the gathering of death, Piotr then added with growing realization, "But…how can he even be let out in the first place? Those prayer stones have been in your museum all this time, and yet no one else tried to use those relics to free Apocalypse! So how is it even possible that Dark Kat's able to do it? How can he break the door to the astral plane if no other kat ever succeeded before?"

"That is something I don't know!" confessed Abi, "The prayer stones have magic in them, but only a kat who is equal to Rama-Tut's strength and power can utilize them as the keys to break En Sabah Nur from his cell! Many kats have tried to harness the power of the holy stones, but none had ever succeeded! Not even the Pastmaster could complete it if he wished to!"

Amara then asked, "But…then what makes Dark Kat so special?"

000-

"Augh!" Jake managed to cry out in pain as Dark Kat continued to choke him with his telekinetic grip as he stared at both the insane criminal mastermind and his unworldly conqueror. Jake writher and struggled as best as he could, but the invisible forces were converging on his body, threatening to crush him like a soda can.

The purple kat-demon then smiled a very loathsome, blood-curdling grin of sick, psychotic glee, every one of his teeth showing maliciously.

"Remember my name, Jake 'Razor' Clawson. It shall be the name of the chosen, immortal Superior that delivers you from this world and into the next where your precious Furlong awaits! You shall take this last tidbit to your grave! It shall be by the paw of the lone kat who was consecrated with the gift of the X-Gene, the kat who shall triumph over all as ruler and the omnipotent king of all inferior kats!"

Razor's eyes shot open with complete and overwhelming surprise. He gasped, "The…the X-Gene? You…you have…**_the X-Gene?_**"

Dark Kat's grin grew so wide and full of teeth, it was threatening to split his face.

"How pathetic. Even after all this time, after all our battles and excursions, you still failed to realize that I am not an ordinary kat, Clawson. And thanks to the Katalyst-X mutagen I received from Viper, my powers have increased by a thousand fold, multiplying from the amount I injected into my flesh and blood that would have killed a normal kat! Enough to bless me with enough strength to render all walls between worlds completely and utterly useless!"

Jake's thoughts rushed furiously through his quick mind. Professor Xavier said that people blessed with the X-Gene had powers and abilities beyond imagination, varying to an infinite amount of gifts of pure destruction and violence. Yet it only existed in the world and dimension of humans. So if Dark Kat had the X-Gene…

"You're…you're a mutant," Jake managed to wheeze as the truth dawned on him.

"Ah, but I always have been, my dear Jake. Ever since I was genetically altered and came into power two hundred years ago, my master has shown me the blessings and wonders of the futures of kat-kind with me to lead these pathetic sheep under the rule of survival-of-the-fittest!"

Jake felt his heart stop, not sure if he even heard correctly. Two hundred years? But in order for Dark Kat to even to survive that long…

"Who…are…you?" the battered SWAT Kat managed to choke in a stifled, strained voice.

Razor then heard Dark Kat's voice drop down to a slow whisper of coldness as the SWAT Kat's sharp ears picked up on the last statement.

"My name is Nathaniel Essex. And now…DIE."

With a wave of his purple paw, Dark Kat immediately began to tear Jake apart, right down to the molecular and cellular level of the kat's body. Jake screamed as loudly as he could as the invisible forces began to pull at his bones, attempted to strain his nervous system, and proceeded to set every single cell and muscle fiber on fire. It was pure torture, long, painful, and completely excruciating and merciless.

"**_AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!_**" yowled Jake as the pain threatened to overwhelm him.

"Stop it! Stop it! Please!" sobbed Callie from the distance, praying for something, anything, for a single chance of luck, for a miracle.

Then the miracle came.

En Sabah Nur then roared in pain, his screams echoing throughout the city and the bay, the tone and timbre of his deep voice sending cold vibrations in the land of metal, glass and rock.

"**_WHAT IN THE NAME OF SETH IS THE MEANING OF THIS?_**" roared En Sabah Nur as his ghostly head felt an immediate surge of telepathic assault, one that was far more advanced and powerful than any citizen of Megakat City could ever be capable of. Yet it was impossible; no one, not even the SWAT Kats, had this much power!

"It's working! Keep it up, Chuck!" roared Wolverine from the distance, and Dark Kat looked up from his torture session on the brown vigilante to see to his anger that the X-Men, Logan and Charles Xavier, were facing them down not too far off. The purple-furred kat then could sense it, the power of potent, vigorous telepathy, enough to rival his own master's. The bald alien, the one in the wheelchair…he would be the first to die. Dark Kat now forgot his attention on killing Jake as he was about to summon his creeplings to rip the two humans to shreds, but that gave Jean the moment to strike.

_Leave Jake alone!_ With something between a grunt and a shriek, Jean flew down from the air and sent at Dark Kat a stalwart and unstoppable pulse of telepathic rage, her anger and frustration actually causing the very air in between the two to ripple like water before it completely and piercingly speared through his mind's eye. With a cry of rage, Dark Kat held his paws to his head, bellowing from the pit of his stomach, as the stranglehold on Jake was obliterated, and the abrupt release sent the poor SWAT Kat flying back fifty feet, barely able to hold on to his consciousness as he crashed onto the street.

Jake was shakily trying to get up from his sprawled position on his back as Dark Kat was recovering from the simultaneous attack of his psyche and mind, holding both paws to his head and screaming obscenities while trying to get his bearings. Jean then relentlessly kept pounding him with a furious barrage of telekinetic forces and blasts as she hovered in the air, battering the poor criminal like a piñata.

Mac then snarled, eager for a little taste in revenge as he pointed his blaster at the dazed SWAT Kat and fired, the pulsing blast of plasma-energy rushing through the stone and gravel, tearing it apart like wet flimsy paper, as it was about to strike Razor.

"No!" screamed Callie as she tried to fight against the grip Molly had on her as the female Metallikat restrained her forcefully. Razor wearily looked up at the energy ball about to incinerate him, and he knew that he could never dodge it in time. Yet to his surprise, there was a familiar string of beeping and buzzing before a familiar object rushed itself in front of Jake right before the energy ball struck.

"What the - ?" blurted out Mac Mange as he saw that the blast was reflected by a small, metallic kat-robot, the wheeled android taking the full blast by force meant for Jake and emerging without a single scratch. Jake then recognized the robot at once; it was Cybertron, the android kat that Dr. Hackle designed to help aid T-Bone and Razor as a sidekick and vigilante assistant, and itself did a very efficient job of helping out the SWAT Kats in the past by fighting against the Pastmaster and the Great Pyramid in one past escapade.

"Ha! Looks like you've just made a lousy shot like always, you scrap-heap reject!" Callie sneered triumphantly at Mac, but Molly, being so furious, then exerted her rage onto the Deputy Mayor as she hurled the she-kat on the ground, knocking her senseless as she hit the pavement.

"Laugh **this** off, Briggs!" snarled the Metallikat as she fired with murderous intent, but to her amazement, the blast went right through Callie's body, and instead of killing the beige kat, it passed through her intangible body and rendered the ground beneath her into a smoking crater. The Deputy Mayor was completely unharmed.

"What the hellkats?" shrieked Molly Mange as she fired two additional, quick rounds in succession, but Callie Briggs was safely drawn out of the range of her blasts as, to the Deputy Mayor's amazement, Kitty Pryde managed to phase the frightened hostage out of danger. Callie never felt anything like it, the cool feeling over her body as she felt lighter than air and floating on a frictionless road as Kitty glided the victim on air back to the Enforcers.

Then Dr. Viper shrieked in rage as a combination of molten fireballs and kinetically-charged playing cards flew swiftly in a straight line directly at the vines that snared Felina Feral, and the union of bio-kinetic discharge and searing lava was too much for the plants to withstand as they released their grip on the she-kat, writhing and squirming in pain as smoking, ghastly holes was made through their tough exterior, causing their flesh to bubble into mushy goop. The death-grip the plants and tendrils had on Lieutenant Feral went slack, but before the dark she-kat could try to scramble out of danger, she felt herself being lifted firmly from the mess of vines by the waist and to her utmost surprise, she was actually flying! Felina averted her gaze from the high altitude to see a smiling teenage girl with white-highlights and gothic makeup holding her around her waist as the alien female flew Felina down in front of the stupefied Enforcers, carrying her back to her squads and fellow soldiers.

"You all right, sugah?" Rogue asked as she gently placed Felina on the ground.

The female Lieutenant was certainly flustered as she stammered, "Uh…yeah. Uh…I think so."

"Lieutenant! Get away from them!" shouted one Enforcer as he and the other officers drew out their guns and weapons, aiming at the various members of the X-Men. If only Felina could move out of the crossfire, then they could take out these alien freaks once and for all!

Steele then became livid as he roared over his radio, "**_Enforcers, don't fire on the X-Men! Stand down! Repeat: stand down! I don't think the X-Men are our enemies!_**"

"So _you_ say, Steele," shot back a she-Enforcer in disgust at his apparent naiveté as she readied her shot at Rogue's chest. Yet Felina then repeated the exact same order, now completely curious to what was going on, though she duly noted that she was still wary of the X-Men.

"I say it too, Private! All Enforcers, stand down! Don't shoot at the X-Men! At least not until we know what the hellkats is going on and what in the fur and paw are they doing here!"

"It's a long story," groaned Remy as he and Forge ran up to the crowd.

"And we don't have time to explain! We have to help Jake stop Dark Kat!" added Forge furiously and urgently.

As the Enforcers were taken a bit aback by this little tidbit, they then became even more befuddled when the saw the rest of the X-Men appear with the renowned Dr. Hackle and Dr. Sinian at their sides, bravely standing up against Dark Kat, his master, and the evil alliance.

"You Invincible Alliance guys are so dead!" growled Tabitha as she readied her body for a full-frontal assault.

"Leave our friend Jake alone, you jerks!" Kitty shouted with uncharacteristic rage and defense, "If you like want to take Megakat City, then you're all totally going to fight us first!" Lockheed roared angrily next to her in full agreement.

Callie gasped with a mixture of relief, bewilderment, and shock as she asked, "_Friends_? You're Jake's friends?"

"They're telling the truth! They're just visitors from another dimension that accidentally found their way into our world! They're here to help us! They're actually teenage super-heroes! Like the SWAT Kats!" Abi clarified loudly over the din for all the spectators and witnesses to hear.

"So then you're _not_ working for Dark Kat!" exclaimed Steele.

Sam shot Lieutenant Steele and the other Enforcers a dry look as he retorted, "Well, duh! Of course we're not! We're Jake's friends, and we're on **_your_** side! If you actually gave us a chance to explain it instead of firing on us from before, we would have told you that in the first place!"

Jake was painfully trying to brace himself on his knees as several of the X-Men rushed over to his side, hoping that they were able to stop the brown kat in time.

"Jake, are you all right?" Scott asked as he knelt down, but the SWAT Kat furiously pushed the leader of the X-Men away roughly, tears of outrage spilling from his eyes.

"**_Damn you, why did you save me? Why didn't you just let me die?_**" Jake roared at the X-Men who were surrounding him.

"Sheesh, talk about grateful, Jake! We saved you from making a mistake!" griped Bobby sardonically, a little put off.

"You should have just gone home!" Jake hissed in loss and despair as he wept, "You should have just gone home and let me die! You should have just let me try to take out the Alliance and avenge Chance this way! Can't you X-Men see it? I wanted to die! I have to do this! **I have nothing left!**"

Jamie then felt his heart break as he knelt down and took Jake's grimy, lacerated paw in his hands, saying with touching sincerity, "That's not true, Jake…you still have us."

Logan then smirked a bit as he said, "The kid's right, hairball. The X-Men don't run away, and we also don't turn away true allies and friends."

"And what about Callie and Felina? And Dr. Hackle and Dr. Sinian? They're here because of you, to help you so that you won't fight this battle by yourself," Kurt said gently.

"You're not alone in this, Jake," Amara said softly, limping slightly from her bandaged leg.

"You helped us out, so now's _our_ turn to help _you_ out, comrade," Piotr said with fierce loyalty and compassion as he transformed into his metal-form.

"And Remy always repays his debts," Gambit grinned mischievously as he readied his staff and drew a hand of five playing cards expertly from his sleeve and into his palm.

By now, despite the pain Professor Xavier was inflicting, En Sabah Nur was turning on his servant, his eyes full of malice and blame as he harshly glared at Dark Kat, roaring, "**_WHAT IS THE MEANING OF THIS, ESSEX? I THOUGHT YOU ASSURED ME THAT THERE WOULD BE NO OTHER LIVING CREATURE BESIDES YOU WHO WOULD BE BLESSED WITH THE X-GENE AND HAVE ENOUGH POWER TO THWART OUR PLANS?_**"

Dark Kat was actually cowering as En Sabah Nur cruelly and excruciatingly assaulted his mind with a furious and nearly lethal telepathic attack as punishment for his oversight, pleading, "Forgive me, Master! I thought the X-Men would have abandoned Razor Clawson and left the city to return back to their dimension!"

"Looks like you made a false assumption, Dark Crud!" Sam crowed smugly.

Dark Kat was still undaunted as he shouted, "I will not fail, my Lord! I will not stop until you are free to reshape this world in your image, my powerful master!"

"**_IF YOU DO NOT RELEASE ME, I THEN SHALL HAVE YOUR HEADS! ALL OF YOU! ALLIANCE, KILL EVERY ONE OF THOSE MUTANTS AND ENFORCERS, AND YOU SHALL ALL RULE IN VAST POWER OF UNLIMITED WEALTH AND MIGHT ALONGSIDE MY NEW ORDER! MAKE YOUR CHOICE, ALLIANCE! WOULD YOU RATHER RISK YOUR LOSSES FIGHTING SEPERATELY OR FINALLY EXACT YOUR REVENGE ON THE CITY THAT HAS GIVEN YOU SO MUCH TROUBLE AND JOIN MY CAUSE! I SHALL ASSURE YOU ALL THAT WITH ME AS YOUR LEADER, NONE OF YOU SHALL LOSE THIS FIGHT!_**"

"That's fine and dandy with me! I've waited for this moment for a long time!" Hard-Drive snarled as he readied his electrical suit again, massive amounts of dangerous and lethal energy of infinite voltage streaming through his body again as the pink, demon creeplings of Dark Kat started to emerge from the shadows and corners of the rubble. Hank looked all around only to discover that the X-Men and the Enforcers were now surrounded by thousands upon thousands of mutated creeplings, all of them strengthened by the supplies of Katalyst-X by Dr. Viper, more than enough to swarm all over every square inch of the vast metropolis and rip them apart.

"Yes! We shall still win! You X-Men don't have a chance against us! And my beautiful pets shall enjoy the new sources of compost!" Dr. Viper sneered, hissing in a serpent-like tone as the ground started to crack and give way to the scores and scores of vines, roots, and various flora ready to tear Megakat City asunder.

"And even if you could fight us, there's no way you'll be able to save the rest of the city, X-Twerps!" laughed Molly the Metallikat as she pointed in the distance where the gigantic mummies and Black Widow robots were wrecking havoc on the untouched parts of the city where still many civilians were cowering in fear, "Face it, X-Geeks! You can't fight us and still stop Dark Kat and Pastmaster's armies from pummeling this pathetic town to the ground!"

"I'm going to so enjoy making you regret calling us 'X-Geeks', Metallikat," Scott grinned dangerously at last, the inflamed memories getting him more pumped for battle.

"And Jake has us as well, Pastmaster," Dr. Hackle said as he and Abi stood side by side next to Professor Xavier, "Your mummies may be more powerful due to En Sabah Nur, but they are not invincible, especially now that my faithful Cybertron is here."

"Yeah, right! Like we're going to be scared of a stuffy museum she-kat and an elderly professor in diapers whose inventions aren't worth more than the hairballs from my ass!" laughed Hard-Drive.

"If you were referring to the Metallikats, then I'll agree with you on that one," smiled Dr. Hackle.

"Watch it, you withered, old bag!" snarled Mac at the subtle insult.

"That fool is lying!" shouted Pastmaster as he pointed a bony paw at the frail professor, "My mummies have dealt with that Cybertron robot before, and we still managed to defeat it! It is nothing but a mere puny attempt, a pathetic excuse of a technological marvel!"

Dr. Hackle then said softly, yet intensely with pride and warning, "That was the **first** Cybertron. Your mummies might find it a bit harder to defeat Cybertron **2**, my newer and _larger_ model."

It was then that the Invincible Alliance of Evil saw the large, hulking sentinel appear slowly in the distance, the ground beneath their hind paws quaking softly from the treaded, heavy-duty wheels the metal-sentinel used to roll itself into view, towering over the zeniths of the neighboring buildings and casting a formidable shadow over the alliance. What Dr. Hackle stated was true. _This_ Cybertron was well over five-hundred feet tall, every square inch of its metal surface shiny, new, and reinforced with durable materials harder than reinforced steel, a gigantic rectangular, upright body armed to the smallest niche with an arsenal of missiles, lasers, weapons and tactical war instruments. In fact, it was inside the specialized compartment that the X-Men, Abi, and Dr. Hackle were able to arrive to the city speedily, riding _inside_ the gigantic giant. In addition to the mammoth size of its robotic claws, which were large enough to encircle an entire building with its paw-span, its head was quietly analyzing the battlefield with thousands upon thousands of optical fibers, infrared sensors, and gamma-lasers, readying its AI for its two sole missions: to stop the Invincible Alliance of Evil and protect the city.

"After the past incident with your mummies and the Katchu-Pichu demon, Pastmaster, even though the SWAT Kats declined the invitation, Dr. Hackle constructed the second Cybertron immediately afterward just for certain emergencies such as this," Abi added, enjoying the look of dread on Pastmaster's face.

"Oh holy hairballs," cursed Hard-Drive upon seeing the behemoth. Yep, the Black Widow death-robots and the Pastmaster's mummies _might_ have a bit of trouble with this one.

Meanwhile, Scott turned to Jake who was still on his paws and knees on the ground, saying with great compassion, "Razor, I know you wanted to take them out by yourself and end your pain, but this won't help matters if you die recklessly and leave Megakat City in the mercy of Dark Kat and Apocalypse and the Evil Alliance. Yeah, it wasn't fair to you or T-Bone. Jake, I know what it feels like to feel no one else can shoulder the burdens you and Chance endured, to feel like there's nothing left in your life you've got going for you, and if anything, I respect that. We all do, Jake. We don't want to take Chance's place in your life and your memories, and we don't want you to be the sacrificial hero, but we do want to help you out because it's the right thing to do, because deep down, we're all SWAT Kats and are willing to fight and die for our friends, for our allies. You are a hero, Jake, and you have a right to this fight more than anyone else in the world…but X-Men **never** let a hero and friend stand alone."

Jean then knelt down in front of Jake and gently clasped his face with her hands, whispering softly, "Chance died to do the right thing, Jake. We don't want that to happen to you too. If anything, we want to see the look on Dark Kat's face when he and the rest of those creeps pay for everything he did to you. We don't need to help fight…but we **want** to. After all, we wouldn't be X-Men if we didn't save the world, even if it's not our own."

Jamie then piped up encouragingly, "C'mon, Jake! Chance would have wanted you to give Dark Crud and his Alliance of Idiots a beating that would even make Feral wince! T-Bone was never one to resist the opportunity for a brawl! And neither would Razor!"

Cold fire then started to intensify in Jake's soul as his pain, his anger, and his determination flared more brightly than it ever did in the past month, as the brown, unmasked SWAT Kat slowly got up before looking around at the X-Men, the humans from another world who were all so willing to fight by him, and Dr. Hackle and Dr. Sinian, ordinary kats who couldn't offer much but still risked everything they had, before he stared with angry courage at the Alliance and the head of En Sabah Nur, his voice shaking.

"Let's kick some tail, X-Men!"

"Start the showdown then, you losers!" Hard-Drive challenged as he and the Alliance prepared to charge for the bloodbath.

"Hey, what does that make us? Kitty litter?" snorted Lieutenant Steele in the background, pretending to be insulted, as he and Felina stood in front of the remains of the Alpha, Theta, and Omega Enforcer teams, all of them incredibly encouraged at the sight of the X-Men willing to fight alongside Jake. Logan then gave a gruff nod.

"This job's too big for the X-Men alone. We could use your help, Lieutenant. Hell, we could use all the help we can get to take out Dark Kat and his master."

"That's good enough for me! I'm not leaving without my Uncle!" yelled Felina, encouraged, as she then hollered at everyone around through her radio, "Enforcers! Fight alongside the X-Men! Help the X-Men stop the Invincible Alliance of Evil! Help the X-Men and Clawson fight! Follow 'Operation: Full Force'! Repeat: **_Full Force_**! We're all going to take Dark Crud and his master down once and for all, TOGETHER!"

The Enforcers cheered, their will to fight and protect now multiplying ten-fold.

"Well, why the hell not?" crowed a young Enforcer.

"I'd rather fight alongside a freak than submit to Dark Kat!" yelled another private, and her sentiment struck a similar chord with all her teammates.

"Let's do it!" Jamie cheered.

"For Chance! For everybody! For the city!" Callie yelled additionally as she took a pistol Steele handed to her to use for the war.

As one, the X-Men and Enforcers and surrounding kats roared the ever-so famous SWAT Kat motto, their voices ringing courageously across the city.

"**_LET'S KICK SOME TAIL!_**"

**Author's notes: Just to remind you faithful reader, as you have now read about the special twist, keep in mind Forge sent them to a parallel universe! That means that between the X-Men and the SWAT Kats' worlds, some things may be different…but some things can be eerily similar! And before you kill me, keep in mind, what's a good story without a good cliffhanger or two?**

**Next chapter on Friday, "Super Smash Mutant Melee", it'll be a real treat! Dark Kat and the Alliance versus Jake, the Enforcers and the X-Men. Enough said. (grins)**


	8. Super Smash Mutant Melee

**Author's notes: I'm sorry I was a little late with this chapter, but in addition to my job, what made it difficult was the fact that this chapter is the longest one I've written yet! It's twice as long as all the others! But I guess it's a nice trade-off, right? A long chapter in trade for updating later on Friday? And special thanks to Prophet-Song, Red Witch, Asha-man72, L1701E, Aaron, GothikStrawberry, and Sparky Genocide for the excellent reviews! And additional kudos for asha-man72 for pointing out that I spelled "En Sabah Nur" wrong (I fixed it!). Hope you guys enjoy action cause I had to do several rewrites on this chapter before I felt it was satisfactory enough. Hope it's satisfactory enough for you guys as well, so enjoy!**

**CHAPTER 8: Super Smash Mutant Melee**

"Seek nourishment upon their carcasses, my children!" Dr. Viper cackled gleefully in a sickening manner, his eyes glowing with golden anticipation as the vines, roots, and leafy tendrils, all obeying his mind on a whim, surged directly at the Enforcers and the X-Men. Xavier then sent a telepathic message to the kats and mutants in the group.

_X-Men, follow your assigned tactical strikes! Enforcers, concentrate on stopping the Black Widow robots and the Pastmaster's mummies! Some of the X-Men shall escort you to help with the giants before they wreck the other parts of the city where the innocents reside! The rest of the X-Men shall deal with Dr. Viper, the Metallikats, the Pastmaster and Dark Kat! I shall stay here and stop En Sabah Nur from coming out of the portal to do whatever destruction God knows what he has in mind!_

"That's fine with me! Enforcers, you heard the X-Men! **_Move, move, move! Scatter!_**" Felina yelled, and the Theta, Alpha, and Omega teams rushed out with some of the X-Men as the other faction covered their retreat. Earlier, Logan, Charles Xavier, Ororo, Hank, Dr. Hackle, and Abi Sinian gathered as much factual knowledge they could find on the Invincible Alliance of Evil and each team member's strengths and weaknesses. Based on this, the X-Men were split into squads, each mutant determined on where his or her power could do the greatest damage on the Alliance's resources.

On cue, Professor X then concentrated as hard as he possibly could on the ghostly specter on En Sabah Nur, trying his best to shove it back into the astral realm with all the brainpower and mental telepathic strength he could muster. Roaring and furious, the kat-version of Apocalypse sent back its own counter-attack, the apex of time and space and centuries of imprisonment actually honing his mind to absolute perfection as he descended upon Professor Xavier. Wincing, the mentor of the X-Men held firm, and between the two, it was an extreme and emphatic battle of wills.

Enraged, Dr. Viper tried to prevent the Enforcers and the X-Men from achieving their goals by sending his plants over and underground, hoping to cut them off, but Amara was quicker as she changed into her fiery, molten form, her entire body a gleaming torch of red-hot liquid rock and earth.

"Back off, you little spore!" Magma screamed angrily, intent on making Dr. Viper pay for trying to hurt her friends. Concentrating so hard that her head was spinning, the Roma Nova princess hovered her hands above the cracked pavement of the streets, crouching down low like a skier going downhill. Instantly, the ground started to shake and quiver before the mutated plant-kat saw multiple geysers of lava erupt from the ground, gushing like fountains and oil rigs, causing the very pavement beneath them to crumble and fill each and every crevice made by his plants with searing heat and magma. With so many jets of smelted rock, the plants that were topside were immediately seared into pieces as they fell victim to the gushing streams, writhing as they were consumed and drowned by the liquid blood of the earth. And due to the vast pools Magma summoned from the ground, the vines and roots that were snaking under the surface, ready to pop out and strike, were immediately reduced to smoke and ashes.

With such a protective barrier above and below, none of the plants and flora organisms Dr. Viper mutated for the Alliance could stop the X-Men and Enforcers as they disappeared in the distance

"Looks like your plants aren't very resistant to lava, you Dr. Frankenstein-reject!" Magma snarled as she then unleashed a barrage of fireballs, each created by the girl simply picking up pieces of rubble all around her and melting them in her hands before throwing them, "And by the same token, neither are you! Hope you like 'mutated-loser flambé'!"

Dr. Viper managed to barely avoid the lethal mass, though his lab coat was now singed along with his hair, as the green kat then summoned some more of his vines to carry him out of danger, all the meanwhile shrieking with apoplectic malice, "You meddlesome little witch! I'll kill you myself!"

"Not likely, Viper!" snarled Wolverine as he suddenly appeared out of nowhere, his adamantium claws drawn out and ready, as he lunged and tackled the mad scientist off his throne of plants, only to send the both of them crashing down to the ground. Snarling like a dangerous mad-beast, Dr. Viper managed to scratch his way out of Wolverine's grip and tail-whip Wolverine smartly across the face. Now vengeful, Wolverine charged at the green villain, but the slimy, mutated alliance member summoned more of his thorny, flowering tentacles from under the ground to snare and rip Wolverine apart, the entire area meshed with the vines. He was furious to learn quickly that no matter how many plants he could summon, the clawed human could easily dodge and scurry and somersault out of reach, and his claws were unbelievably sharp and durable. Not even steel blades could cleanly swipe through the outer layers of the plants, yet somehow, the mutant managed to do so as easily as slicing through butter with a hot knife.

Iceman then had a sudden thought strike him as he and Magma kept blasting the plants back with moderate success, despite the fact that Dr. Viper's armies were multiplying by the second.

"Wait a minute! Plants are organic, right?" Iceman gasped.

Amara looked a bit lost and frustrated as she snapped impatiently at her teammate, "Yeah, so?"

Iceman then lunged for a small, writhing vine before he grasped it tightly with one ice-covered hand, explaining, "I just remembered from Beast's science classes on of the few days I actually stayed awake in his lectures! If plants are organic, then they have a certain amount of water in them along with other liquids, which means every cell and tissue in these things are like chains of water! And I can freeze water! And since these vines are linked to the roots…"

Magma then realized what Iceman was trying to achieve, and she inwardly cheered his inspiration as she watched Bobby freeze the vine he was grasping into a strand of hardened ice, dying immediately from the cold. And like a domino effect, the ice spread quickly to the other vines connected to the strand Bobby was holding, and before anyone else could comprehend it, the vines all around Wolverine and Dr. Viper began to crystallize in a frenzied, artic death, the ice formed from Bobby's power spreading uncontrollably like an outbreak, and since the ice traveled down to the hearts and roots deep underground, every one of the mutated vines perished, leaving the green, mutated kat powerless. No matter how much the mutated, green-and-black striped kat tried, he could not summon more aid to assist him. And with the ice spreading to the other parts of the city and outside where they were still fighting against the government army and militia factions, each and every one of the plants froze and became entombed in a suffocating layer of ice. Every one of Dr. Viper's plants died, and there was not a trace of any of the mutated specimens anywhere throughout the metropolis.

"No!" shrieked Dr. Viper as he watched his work be rendered moot, and this gave Wolverine the chance he had been waiting for as he lunged.

_SPLACK!_

Dr. Viper gurgled weakly as his yellow eyes widened, trying vainly to push the mutant's claws out of his body as he sank to the ground, the life draining out of his body slowly and painstakingly. Logan was less than merciful as he roughly yanked his claws out of the scientist's heart with a sickening squelch and watched the dying Dr. Viper croak and gasp weakly for air, his claws dripping with the kat's green blood.

"I…you…" Dr. Viper managed to gasp before his snake-like voice died in his throat, his eyes going glazed.

"Rot in hell, Dr. Viper," Logan muttered.

Outside the city limits, the soldiers who were losing heavily to Dr. Viper's plants were now amazed at the sight of Bobby's powers going to work as the mindless plants just went limp, no longer having a master to summon and command their every move.

"What the hellkats had just happened?" gasped an army soldier, his whiskers twitching madly in confusion as he and his fellow privates and generals just stared at the divine intervention with wide eyes, "**_Ice?_** In the middle of June? In blazing 90-degree weather?"

"It's the X-Men, sir!" one Enforcer explained as he and the rest of the squads Commander Feral sent to guide the national guard into the heart of the city, "We just heard it on the radio transmission of the Enforcers! They're helping us out! They're fighting Dark Kat and the Invincible Alliance alongside the Enforcers! But Lieutenant Feral just called in her status! The X-Men and the Enforcers are giving it all they got, but they still need help to stop the Alliance and Dark Kat!"

"Well what are we waiting for, then! A bleeding invitation! **Move out!**" roared a General from his tank, and immediately, the army and navy charged through the waters and terrains into Megakat City.

Meanwhile…

"You Enforcers can't stop us!" snarled Hard-Drive as he crowed atop of the jagged hill of rock in the middle of the street, holding his precious cargo of the Vertigo anti-technology beam in one paw before spotting the gigantic Cybertron 2 rushing into battle towards the Black Widows with the X-Men, Forge and Shadowcat, riding steadily on its left shoulder, all three of them intent on stopping the robot army of Dark Kat. Cackling gleefully at the prospective targets, Hard-Drive aimed the Vertigo Beam directly at the two, listening to it whine softly as it powered up for its destructive and debilitating surge onto the little trio. It would be especially devastating to Forge and Dr. Hackle's robot considering the mutant's cybernetic arm and the Cybertron 2's advanced circuitry.

"Looks like I'm going to be the first to bag an X-Man!" Hard-Drive cackled as he was about to fire, but then a stream of infrared laser radiation, powerful and thin and intensely concentrated, came out of nowhere and along with it followed a surge of white electricity, rivaling that of Hard-Drive's coat. In a duo attack, both the laser and the electric blast combined before hitting the apex of the Vertigo Beam, neatly decapitating it into two before causing both useless parts to glow red hot from the building heat and energy flowing directly at it. Hard-Drive yelped as he dropped the machinery before springing back as it exploded in a fury of flying metal shrapnel and hot sparks. The anti-technology beam was completely destroyed. The electrical kat turned around to spot Bezerker and the first Cybertron robot facing him, with the mutant's hands still crackling from the blast and the android's eye blinking furiously as it readied another laser blast at Hard-Drive.

"Not likely, Hard-Drive!" shouted Bezerker, "Sorry about your little toy, but you've been playing with it for long enough! And that goes for the Vertigo Beam as well!"

"Joke about _this_, smart-mouth!" snarled Hard-Drive as he sent a devastating burst of dynamic current at the mutant. Ray just smiled as he just stood there and let the voltage strike his body as the Cybertron swiftly rolled away from the path of the attack, strafing furiously on its treaded wheels. The terrorist snorted at the sight, thinking that he had finally killed his opponent.

"Shocking, ain't it?" the Mohawk-toting kat guffawed in triumph, but the feeling of victory then crumbled away to surprise when he saw Ray stand up from the smoking, ruined ground all around him, without bearing a single mark or burn from the electrocution moments ago. Bezerker then cracked his knuckles in response, his face breaking into a wide smirk.

"Dude, you have to think of better puns! Now, Cybertron!" he yelled. Hard-Drive then realized he was so intent on killing the mutant, he completely forgot about the android Dr. Hackle sent alongside to fight. And that gave the android ample time to pop out a strange, pressurized nozzle from its robotic appendage as it aimed and fired a cloud of white, thick, smoky electrical retardant onto the kat, exactly like the Enforcers did earlier before. Hard-Drive screamed in fury as he tried to rub it off his surge coat, but it was pointless; the stuff stuck like ash and glue mixed together.

"Remember this, Hard-Drive?" Ray said as he ambled up to the Alliance member, "Puma-Dyne actually had some of the leftover electrical-resistant dust they created for the Enforcers, so Dr. Hackle decided to borrow it for this little occasion before we made it into the city. And by the way, since I have the ability to absorb electricity, thanks for the free recharge, you sucker. Taking in energy like that give increases my physical strength, not to mention my agility."

The kat roared as it sprang from its kneeling position, claws drawn and ready to disembowel, but the X-Man, thanks to numerous Danger Room sessions and Logan's training, quickly and expertly blocked the strike before wrapping his hands behind Hard-Drive's neck and brought the kat's face down on his thrusting knee hard. Hard-Drive felt his snout break as a fountain of blood squirted from his nose vigorously. Ray then followed the knee-thrust with an elbow jab, a right cross, several more jabs, an uppercut, and a powerhouse straight-punch into the kat's sternum, leaving the kat winded and flying back to tumble onto the floor. Yet Hard-Drive then grinned, his face looking like a sinister and demented clown with his entire body coated with white dust and yet his facial fur, whiskers, teeth and mouth smeared with red blood.

"I'm not finished yet, X-Man!" he declared as he snapped his fingers again. The Cybertron 1.0 beeped warningly as its motion-sensors and AI then detected a vast, insurmountable group moving all around them like a pack.

"Aw crap!" Bezerker cursed as he saw that he and the Cybertron 1.0 were completely surrounded by an army of pink creeplings, enough to fill up a football stadium. He didn't anticipate this one.

At the same time, Felina had just gotten to her position on the ground as she received radio confirmation that the Theta, Alpha, and Omega teams had reached their destinations all over the city and had given the rest of the Enforcers scattered throughout the metropolis the basic run-down. The X-Men, Cyclops, Jean, Nightcrawler, Rogue and Gambit were with her and a small fraction of the Omegas.

"Enforcers, deploy the hang-gliders and catapults!" Felina yelled over her Enforcer transmission, and at once, the Enforcers sprang to action. Upon the roofs, the kats dragged out large, black and sturdy hang-gliders bearing the yellow Enforcer insignias with their plastic frames and rubber attachments. Since Hard-Drive managed to use the Vertigo Beam on their jets and Black Hawk helicopters, both Felina and her Uncle then realized that hang-gliders would be the perfect means of counterattack since they required no engines for propulsion. And since they consisted of plastic and rubber, the non-conducting materials couldn't allow Hard-Drive to blast them out of the sky with his electric attacks and electrocute the Enforcers. With effective time and practice, the Theta Enforcers soon had their gliders out and ready. With several kats counting down fifteen second intervals, waves upon waves of black hang-gliders soared off the rooftops of various buildings and at high levels above the mummies and the Black Widow robots. A few that weren't able to gain altitude were easily lifted into the sky by Storm's help as she summoned a gust of hot air to give the Enforcers some elevation while flying alongside with them.

"Thanks, ma'am!" one Enforcer cheered his thanks to Storm as he and his fellow Enforcers hovered above the mummies and spider-sentinels. It was like an entire black cloud had descended over the city, nearly eclipsing the bright sun.

"Bombs away!" yelled another Enforcer as all of the Theta teams released a rainfall of plastic explosives and depth-charges those similar to blow out submarines. Upon contact, the explosives discharged and the mummies and Black Widows were besieged by a multitude of miniature explosions, each one managing to fray and gorge them bit by bit, eating away at their protective armor in chunks. Outraged, some of the mummies tried to grab at the soldiers, but luckily, they were all too high for them to reach due to Storm's continuous winds. Then the Black Widows aimed their laser-turrets from their robotic jaws before letting out streams of rapid, ultraviolet shots, all of them ready to sear the Enforcers into pieces. Yet Jean was more than ready. With a grunt, Jean encased each and every one of the hang-gliders with a protective telekinetic bubble of force, shielding them from the laser blasts, and even in some cases, managing to reflect the blasts directly back at their tormentors. Encouraged, the Enforcers continued their assault.

On the ground, the Omegas managed to drag out medieval catapults from their hidden positions in the alleys and side-streets all throughout the downtown area in front of the mummies' paths as a final line to cross before the Egyptian abominations could reach the untouched places of Megakat City and kill the residents and private citizens who weren't Enforcers and couldn't defend themselves. Also used as a tactic resistant to Hard-Drive's Vertigo Beam, the weapons, made of hardened wood and steel cores and tied together with reinforced rubber and metal strips, were so simple, a kitten could pull the levers that released the launching pads yet were destructive enough to send a huge load of explosives directly at the mummies with much damage. Simple, effective, and not even the slightest dependent on any motor. Immediately after they were all brought out into the open, for each catapult, one Omega Enforcer would man the lever while a group of five kats would pile the loading dock with metal barrels of gunpowder, with the large metal cylinders laced on the outside with dried sulfur-paste similar to the heads of matches and nylon rope looped all around. Once the barrels were loaded into the dock, another cat would lightly squirt lighter-fluid onto the barrel's metal surface before the catapults were ready.

"**First wave!**" roared an Enforcer through her megaphone, "**Aim…FIRE!**"

On command, the first row of catapults were launched as the operators pulled on the levers, starting the release mechanism as the arm surged forward with a _thwoop_, sending the barrels flying in a graceful arc towards the mummies. The mummies, though powerful, were too slow in speed and agility to catch or dodge the projectiles, and all had no choice but to stand there dumbly as the barrels collided with their bodies, striking the sulfur and igniting the lighter-fluid on the barrels which heated the gunpowder inside for an immediate combustive reaction.

**_KKKAAAAAAAABBBBOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOMMM!_**

One mummy stumbled, a good portion of its face torn off from the blasts as it then suddenly withered and died, collapsing upon itself in an implosive fashion and fading into nothing as the dust, sand and bandages disintegrated into ashes. However, the rest of the mummies were more or less unscathed, especially the ones in the back of the herd, and vengeful and roaring gutturally, the Egyptian giants charged with their clubs and maces raised high to crush the Enforcers below. Yet the Omega soldiers were not the least bit intimidated.

"**Second wave! Aim…FIRE!**" yelled the Enforcer and as the first file of catapults reloaded, the second row behind them fired their loads at the mummies again, giving them a relentless opposition of explosives and rainfall, and the kats could only hope that with five separate tiers, it would be enough to keep the Pastmaster's armies busy enough for the X-Men to finish them off for good.

During this firefight, the Cybertron 2 shot several of its polarity-missiles directly at the leading Black Widow spider-bot in the front, ignoring the laser blasts the robotic sentinel shot at it in retaliation, the energy beams reflecting off its shiny, metal surface. The missiles immediately discharged a pulsating magnetic field, their polarities immediately conflicting with the electrical force-fields surrounding the mechanical spider. With a brief flicker, Shadowcat and Forge could see the Telsa-barrier dying out, malfunctioning immediately due to the Cybertron's missiles and leaving the death android unprotected.

"According to Dr. Hackle's readings, the mainframe for the Black Widow should be in the center of its abdomen! Unfortunately, there's no sure-fire way in there! Dark Kat's more cunning than I thought! That entire stomach-area of the Black Widow robot is closed off from all its other parts, so that there would be no way to hack into the system and cause it to malfunction! And with its protective armor and nanotechnology, it'll be impossible to get in there!" Forge exclaimed as he looked through the electronic hand-held PDA Dr. Hackle gave the X-Man inventor to reference the blueprints of the Black Widow architecture.

"Like, can you do it?" Shadowcat asked.

"If I can hack into the mainframe, I should be able to isolate the unique electrical signal Dark Kat is using to protect all the other Black Widows with their own force-fields! If I can take them down, then it'll be easier for the Enforcers and for us to destroy them permanently! That's what I need you for Kitty. Phase me into the abdomen, and you should be able to short-circuit the whole spider permanently! That'll give me the chance to use my skills and hack into the signals!"

"Like this better be more successful than the alternator, Forge!" groaned Shadowcat as she and Forge joined hands before jumping off the shoulder of the Cybertron 2 while the giant android then set itself upon the other Black Widows. Using the girl's phasing powers to walk of air, the two X-Men managed to glide over to the back of the rampaging Black Widow while the Alpha Enforcers shot at it with their guns from the ground and rooftops, trying to distract it from noticing the mutants boarding it. With barely a whisper, Shadowcat phased herself and Forge into the large, hulking abdomen on the robot, and with a powerful surge and death to its hardware systems, the Black Widow's eyes went dim before it toppled to the ground, its legs in disarray as it went off-line, ceasing its function and destroying any of the nanotechnology leftover. Inside, Forge hooked his cybernetic arm into one part of the mainframe and immediately began decrypting Dark Kat's computer algorithms to hack into the signals.

"C'mon…c'mon…" Forge whispered urgently as time grew shorter.

Shadowcat phased herself back out and saw that three Black Widows had already gotten past her and Forge, and the Cybertron 2.0, though trying its best, were only successful at delaying two of them. The lone spider was already making its way quickly to the other parts of the city, and no matter how fast Shadowcat could walk on air, she couldn't possibly catch up with it. She needed a fast mode of transport.

"Need a lift, X-Kitten?" one young twenty-something Enforcer yelled out above as he guided his hang-glider close to Kitty's position atop the Black Widow's head. The mutant girl beamed.

"Like the correct term is 'X-**Woman**'!" Kitty shouted back, but she said it in jest as she took a flying acrobatic leap and managed to catch the bar of the hang-glider with both hands as the Enforcer them flew the both of them out of danger and towards the rogue Black Widow.

"Hey, you know, you're kind of cute," the yellow-tabby male-kat commented as he gave Shadowcat a sly look of interest. Shadowcat giggled as she rolled her eyes.

"Totally not even! I already have two…I mean, like I have a boyfriend," she answered weakly as she hung there precariously on the bar.

"Can't blame me for trying," the male Enforcer laughed.

"Johnson, will you quit trying to hit on any pretty female in sight?" hollered a near-by she-Enforcer in irritation as she eavesdropped, "God, and I thought your thinking with your gonads couldn't be any **more** annoying!"

"Like, this is my stop!" declared Shadowcat and with that, as she and the Enforcer were able to fly above the middle of the robot's body, the girl let go of the bar and she fell steadily towards the robot before phasing into it like she did with the last one, causing it to topple to the street, dead in its tracks.

Since the rest of the Black Widows were still heavily shielded and that there was no way to directly attack them, Sunspot, Storm, and the Alpha Enforcers concentrated their attacks on preventing the other Black Widows from making headway to injure the innocent civilians. The Alphas used various explosives and bombs to cause large holes in the streets, making it harder for the sentinels to crawl through without getting their spindly legs stuck. Sunspot then got a brilliant idea. Flying down low and covered with sun energy, the Brazilian mutant tore through the foundations of the neighboring buildings underground to collapse directly in front of the robots' paths, creating effective blockades with the rubble. With such high mounds of rock and metal in their way, it was causing an effective traffic jam as the Black Widows were forced to slow down at an antagonizing rate, unable to break their way through the rubble.

"Artic winds, weigh down their efforts! Slow down the robots with the cold!" shouted Storm as she invoked winds of immense speeds and with temperatures reaching sub-zero. Within mere moments, the entire air was riddled with intense, frigid cold, cold enough to cause the Black Widows' armors to become frostbitten with ice and crystals, turning white and almost cracking from the strain of the freezing moisture. Yet despite their efforts, the Black Widows still moved on.

Back on the ground, not too far off…

"Die, you freaks!" snarled Mac as he and Molly kept firing upon Beast, Cannonball, and Colossus, the green-energy pellets raining down on them like rapid hail. Callie was hiding behind a crushed car not too far off in the distance with her gun ready, though she could have honestly said she was more anxious than fearful of joining in on the fracas.

"That, my dear Asimovian-antagonist, is a telltale example of the pot calling the kettle black!" Beast shouted curtly as he gracefully leapt over the range of fire before grabbing on to a wooden telephone pole and scurried up to the top like an acrobatic monkey. Cannonball was able to avoid the blasts by sprinting and diving for cover behind some mountains of rubble before he dashed out using his mutant ability to create a gravitational field all around him as he flew towards the Metallikat like a bullet. Shocked at the swiftness, Mac aimed his blaster and fired again and again, but to his horror, each energy-discharge, despite hitting directly at the boy, was simply deflected off to the side, the forces all around Sam forming like a protective bubble. The blond-haired mutant stuck out both of his fists as he collided with the metal kat.

"Hey, Metallikat, here's a gift from good ol' Kentucky blood!" Cannonball crowed.

BAM!

Mac felt his chest bend inward from the tremendous impact as, due to Newton's theory of motion, the incredible velocity Cannonball was flying at sent the evil robot hurtling backwards with unbelievable speed and force. He would have barreled out of Megakat City itself if the series of skyscrapers and buildings didn't get into his path.

**CRASH! BOOM! BAM! SMASH!**

"I'm gonna kill that country-hick freak!" cursed Mac as he felt the nanotechnology kick in immediately, fixing his body, and the rubble from the crumbling roof fall and bounce off his indestructible body. Despite the damage he endured and the various pieces of metal, rebar, and concrete embedded into his armor, he was still fully functional. And he dryly noted that he went through at least four walls, all of them having a huge gaping hole contorted to the shape of his flying body.

Meanwhile, an armored-up Colossus was dealing with Molly Mange, the other Metallikat, and the female Alliance member was also discovering that her energy-gun had no effect on Colossus' protective mutant power. Becoming desperate, Molly then tried a different tactic as she aimed her blaster high as shot the roof of a nearby building. The effect was instantaneous as the upper-half of the abandoned skyscraper collapsed upon itself, crumbling and sending down thousands of pounds of rubble and stone and rock upon Colossus. The Russian mutant didn't even flinch as he was buried underneath the landslide, and when the dust cleared, Molly could only see the mounds and mounds of brick and mortar than supposedly entombed the X-Man to his grave.

Molly chortled annoying, her accent so thick her words were almost intelligible, "Ha! Looks like you X-Geeks ain't so high and mighty after all!"

"At least we are infinite times of a better alternative than you, my dear metal-harridan," Beast said calmly as he flew out of nowhere, rolling into a ball with his knees and head tucked in, before he struck the Metallikat from behind smartly like an out-of-control metal bearing in a pinball machine. Beast then fluidly leapt onto the shoulders of the stunned Molly, gripping her with his powerful hind feet before somersaulting forward and throwing the Metallikat skillfully with the momentum, his back claws hurling the robot to come crashing against a telephone pole, shaking the exposed wires above madly. Beast then got into a martial-arts stance as the android recovered quickly and aimed her blaster arm at the blue-furred mutant.

"I may not know what that word means, but I know an insult when I hear it! Lemme show you the end of my gun **up close**, you freak!" the Alliance hench-kat snarled as she was about to fire.

"And let me show you the underside of this bus **up close**, Metallikat!" shouted a voice from behind, and Molly turned to see the fleeting image of the bottom, metal surface of a Greyhound bus as it slammed down on top of her with tremendous force, pressing her to the ground painfully. Beast glanced up to see a dusty and dirt-encrusted Colossus grinding the bus further and further to the street, trying to sandwich the Metallikat and pin her down. Managing to dig his way out of the rubble immediately and seeing that Beast was keeping her busy, the metal-skinned mutant then grabbed the largest object he could find to use as a club, and with his super-strength, he was able to grip the back end of the vehicle firmly before bringing it down onto the Metallikat.

Molly screamed in rage as she managed to blast the bus atop of her into pieces, sending the auto-parts and metal flying as she managed to crawl out of the hole to freedom, murder burning in her eyes.

"Didn't you mother ever tell you it ain't nice to hit a lady!" she shrieked as she tried to fire again upon the two mutants, but Colossus was surprisingly quicker as he charged.

"With you, I would use the term 'lady' _very_ loosely," Piotr remarked as he punched Molly hard in the stomach with an uppercut, sending the screaming metal soldier flying up in the air in a graceful arc before coming back to crash on the ground, sixty feet away.

Meanwhile, on the roof of a dangerously close building…

"_This is Ann Gora, Kat's Eye News!_" gasped Ann breathlessly on the microphone, half of her attention to the camera and the other half to the furious and yet oddly fascinating battle for Megakat City. Johnny K. was still filming the entire debacle with a bit of apprehension as Ann continued.

"_What you are seeing here can only be described as pure chaos, folks! The X-Men, now to be revealed as heroes from another dimension, are actually helping the Enforcers and Jake Clawson, the SWAT Kat, to stop Dark Kat and the Invincible Alliance from taking over Megakat City!_"

Yet unfortunately, due to the shields Jean had placed on some of the Enforcers, at that same moment, one of the laser blasts of the Black Widow reflected off the telekinetic bubbles only to strike the very building Johnny and Ann were standing on, striking directly on the very middle of the tower and causing it to cave in, creaking and moaning, falling apart bit by bit. The sudden decline of the roof caused both Johnny and Ann to stumble, but Johnny's heart reached his throat when he saw Ann was still tumbling towards the edge and off into oblivion. At the last minute, the reporter managed to grab hold of a jutting piece of rock, but she was still very close to a lethal drop.

"ANN!" hollered the camera-kat in horror.

Ann screamed as she felt her grip on the cracked border of the rooftop slipping, leaving her dangling over seventy stories above a very painful drop as her arms felt like they were being set of fire with the highest concentrations of gasoline. The beautiful she-kat tried to pull herself up, but she was too weak and there was nothing below for her to use as a foothold.

It was about then that Ann felt her paws slip from the dusty, smooth surface of the building.

Ann screamed again, bracing herself for the worst, but then she felt herself jerked to a painful stop, and looking up, Ann was joyfully grateful to see her faithful camera-kat and friend, Johnny, grabbing her right paw with both of his paws as he hung dangerously from the roof. It was Johnny that managed to lunge and grab her before it was too late.

"Don't let go!" Ann sobbed in fright.

"I won't, Ann!" hissed Johnny, beads of sweat already started to prick his forehead and chest as he felt himself being dragged down deeper and deeper off the ledge along with Ann, "I won't! We either survive this together or we'll fall off together! Just hang on!"

Yet it was not lost on the two news kats that Johnny had no place to latch on with his feet as he and Ann were pulled on by gravity, inch by inch, towards their impeding doom as Johnny's body slid forward. Nightcrawler was able to spot them as he was teleporting Scott and Gambit to the roof of a nearby building in order to have a better shot at the mummies.

"_Mein Gott!_" Nightcrawler gasped as he disappeared only to teleport next to Johnny and Ann.

"Hang on!" the blue mutant commanded as he grabbed both of the kats before all three of them were engulfed with a large plume of thick smoke before reappearing back onto the streets about a mile away as the building Johnny and Ann were previously on collapsed upon itself at last.

"Are you two all right?" Kurt asked the two stunned kats.

"Uh…yes…I am," Ann murmured in shock, though considering the X-Man saved her life, it wouldn't have been very gratuitous or polite to scream in his face.

The teenager understood however what was going on in their thoughts, so he clarified, "My name's Nightcrawler, and I'm one of Jake's friends and an X-Man. Don't worry, you two are safe now; you're both out of the danger zone."

"Thanks, man," Johnny K. said with extreme gratitude and sincerity, already starting to like the kid instantly. Kurt smiled warmly.

"Hey, you're Ann Gora from Kat's Eye News, the most talented reported from the news-station! And you're Johnny, her best friend and most faithful camera-kat to ever follow her! I'm a big fan! I've watched you and your adventures with the SWAT Kats back in our world!"

Ann could have honestly said she couldn't have been more surprised…and humbled.

Cyclops then immediately jumped to a decision as he saw that their individual strikes weren't doing much good.

"Storm, Gambit...team-up attack! Triangular formation…NOW!" yelled Cyclops from the streets on his communicator.

With a rush, Storm, Cyclops and Gambit all fired their attacks simultaneously upon the leading mummy. Hot, fierce and intense blue and red lightning gathered from Storm's hands as she summoned it to descend upon the hulking forms below in a wide attack, and Cyclops's red optic blast cut through the middle of the electrical storm-cloud like a steel shaft while intermingling with Gambit's bio-kinetic charged cards swirling elegantly all around the optic energy in a twirling column. The doomed mummy roared as it was blinded from the intensity of the light show, causing it to shield its eyes dumbly as the electricity, optic energy, and kinetic cards struck the monster at once in wonderful, harmonious unity. The Egyptian soldier howled in pain as the energy struck its head and upper-torso, causing it to wither and die into dust.

"_Merde_, that one's bit the dust!" Gambit cheered from the roof.

Storm shook her head in warning as she summoned a tornado to push back the mummies from crushing the Enforcers and their catapults, shouting all the meanwhile, "But we do not know how to fully defeat them, Gambit! We cannot team up all our attacks on every single Egyptian goliath one by one! There are too many for us to destroy in that manner, and we need to prevent them from crushing the rest of the city immediately! We can't waste much time on that!"

"We need to find their weak spots or at least find out what makes the mummies so invincible and resilient to our energy attacks!" Jean cried as she used her telekinesis to lift several boulders and damaged cars before hurling them at several mummies, scoring a direct strike on their heads but discovering that it didn't faze them greatly.

"I'm already ahead of you, Jean! I found out where the Pastmaster's mummies are getting their power!" gasped Abi Sinian as she looked through the records of her laptop during the battle, safely hiding among the sidelines as she spoke through the radio transmitter Dr. Hackle provided her, allowing the Enforcers and the X-Men to hear, "The prayer stones! It's the prayer stones Pastmaster stole from the museum! Inadvertently and without the Pastmaster's knowledge, the prayer stones of Rama-Tut must have been utilized by Dark Kat so that he could energize the mummies with the power of En Sabah Nur and make them more powerful than the Great Pyramid could do before!"

"So where can we find it?" Cyclops hollered over his communicator as he blasted the club one mummy was carrying out of its hands, splintering it into ashes and miniscule fragments.

"Based on the Egyptians beliefs of the inner third-eye and the fact that Dark Kat's master is manipulating them through the astral plane…they should be located in the middle of their foreheads! Destroy the prayers stones on the mummies' foreheads, and they should be weak enough for you to finish them off!" Abi yelled back.

Upon hearing this, Rogue suddenly had a brilliant idea as she flew down to the street next to a lamppost.

"Leave it to us!" Rogue hollered as she grunted and managed to uproot the large, metal and concrete lamppost from the sidewalk, haphazardly breaking it from its electrical connection and leaving the bottom end jagged and pointed. Tucking the pole in her arms and flying to the roof, she signaled to her Cajun boyfriend with a nod of her head. Understanding what she wanted to do, Gambit carefully avoided making contact with Rogue's bare skin as he firmly wrapped his arms around her neck, and without any effort, Rogue carried the lamppost and Gambit up to the skies hurriedly as they ascended directly above the mummy while it was still swatting at the hang-gliders. It was too late for the bandaged monster as it looked up to see Rogue diving down with the sharpened end of the gigantic pole directly in front of her, raised high over her head.

"YAAAAAAAAHHHHH!" screamed Rogue as she jammed the end of the lamppost through the forehead of the mummy, spearing it directly through the thick hide and gorging the monster's brain while crushing the fragment of the prayer stone along with it. The mummy howled as it tried to swat the mutant goth off its body while awkwardly picking at the lamppost end with its massive fingers, attempting to pluck it out. Yet Gambit then leapt out of Rogue's grip and onto the bandaged surface of the mummy's forehead, nimbly avoiding the slow hands of the mummy as he then touched the metal surface of the makeshift spear. In less than a second, the entire lamppost started to shine with the intensities of the increasing kinetic energies building up in the pipe's molecular surface.

"Here you go, _homme_! A little something for that headache, courtesy of Dr. Remy LeBeau!" he shouted in satisfaction as Rogue picked him up and swiftly high-tailed it out of the blast radius. There was a faint gleam as the mummy howled inhumanly.

**_KAAAA-WHOOM!_**

"Looks like the poor mummy couldn't keep his head together, eh _cherie_?" Gambit laughed, making a bad pun, as he and Rogue saw the mummy topple and die, headless, its body above it's neck cleanly decapitated, as it crashed to the ground with a powerful thud, crushing a few creeplings in the process, before withering into a messy pile of grimy, brown bandages and sand.

In the intervening time, at a different part of the city, the Pastmaster was trying his best to fight off Boom-Boom, Lieutenant Steele, and Lockheed as they brawled with him. The blond-haired girl was surely relentless as she kept hurling her spherical energy-bombs of different sizes (and on several occasions, she made bombs as large as basketballs), and the Pastmaster couldn't gain enough time to fight back as he kept getting thrown back from the numerous explosions. The annoying purple dragon of Kitty also enjoyed the fight as he flew down and kept bombarding the mage with fire, setting his cloak ablaze more than once. Steele, now intent to avenge Snow's death, kept careful aim as he fired over and over at the skeleton, the bullets ripping through the Pastmaster's body.

"ENOUGH!" snarled the Pastmaster as he invoked a burst of magic that sent Steele and Boom-Boom flying off their feet. Before the two of them could gather back their bearings, the kat of dark magic then aimed his clock at the two heroes before firing a powerful swelling of time magic, ready to turn them all to dust exactly like he had done before with Lieutenant Snow.

Yet before the power of the Pastmaster's clock could hit Tabitha and Steele, Lockheed then managed to do a very noble and brave act as he flew directly in its path, shielding the kat and the teenage girl.

"Lockheed!" cried Boom-Boom as she and Steele saw the beam of magic consume the pet dragon of Kitty, encasing the winger lizard into a ball of fiery, destructive light and sands of times past. The cloaked orange, skeleton kat-mage cackled with glee as he saw his magic destroy Kitty's precious pet.

"Ha ha ha, you dim fools!" chortled the time magician with glee as he aimed his clock again, not bothering to notice that the sphere of light containing Lockheed grew larger and larger, "I got your little dragon, and now, you two are next my little…pretties?"

The last word in the sentence came out in a whimper as Boom-Boom, Lieutenant Steele, and the Pastmaster then saw Lockheed fully emerge from the spell, the magic wearing off finally at last. Apparently, a thousand years on a kat didn't work in the same way as on a baby dragon. Now, instead of an infant winged Lockheed no bigger than a stuffed animal, the evil kat was now staring a very large _thousand-year_ old Lockheed, and it was a stark contrast. Lockheed was now as high as a two-story house, had to weight at least several tons, and the length from the tip of his smoking snout to the tip of his long tail was at least the same length of five or six consecutive buses. His wings spanned a distance of the entire width of the road, from sidewalk to sidewalk, powerfully muscled and pulsating with each heartbeat, along with long, black, unbreakable curved claws, a short neck with a large, scaled and horned head and a mouth lined with oversized, razor-sharp ivory teeth.

"Lockheed?" gasped Boom-Boom in awe.

"Whoa, talk about your growth spurts!" Steele managed to utter.

It was then that the adult Lockheed's eyes glowed red as he frowned at the puny sorcerer in front on him with eager payback, deep, powerful growls emitting from his throat.

"O damned fire and brimstone," the Pastmaster gulped before he tried to blast Lockheed again with his watch, with a quick lunge, the dark kat-sorcerer was trampled down by the dragon's giant paw with one fell swoop and pivot maneuver, the living skeleton screaming in absolute pain as Lockheed ground his body to dust. Steele then saw the Pastmaster's clock lying uselessly on the ground, and with much disgust, he managed to walk over to the instrument before smashing it into pieces with the butt of his rifle, leaving the mage powerless.

"That was for Lieutenant Snow," Steele spat with satisfied disgust at the trampled figure of the Pastmaster. Lockheed then perked his head up, as if he could sense something before, with a massive gust of air caused from his flapping wings, he took off suddenly, soaring high into the air and flying away.

"Lockheed, wait! Where are you going?" Boom-Boom called out in confusion.

Lockheed was actually coming to Bezerker's rescue as he saw his friend and the Cybertron being surrounded by an immeasurable legion of creeplings, ready to tear him apart. With a roar, the dragon descended upon the battlefield, immediately startling everyone as they looked up at the incredible sight.

"Lockheed?" gasped Ray, unwilling to believe his own eyes.

"What the hell?" cried out Hard-Drive, his jaw dropping. With a powerful swoop, Lockheed managed to lift Bezerker by tossing him gently onto his neck before taking off. Ray looked over his shoulder to see, to his dismay, Cybertron left behind.

"Cybertron!" Ray called out in worry, about to force Lockheed to turn around and retrieve the robot, but Iceman then came up, riding on an ice-bridge with Dr. Hackle holding on tightly around his waist, rushing in and freezing Hard-Drive to the ground before the kat-terrorist could even move.

"Don't' worry, Raymond! We got him! Just help Dr. Sinian! She just radioed in and said she was in danger of being overwhelmed by the creeplings! They'll kill her if you do not make it in time!" Dr. Hackle called out as loudly as he could while Iceman created icicles and sent them flying, impaling many creeplings at once and preventing them from attacking them.

"We're on it!" Bezerker called out as he and Lockheed flew down where they saw Dr. Hackle was telling the truth. Abi was completely delimited by a throng of murderous creeplings, and she was truly scared and terrified as the pink demons approached closer and closer.

"Dr. Sinian!" yelled a voice from above and coming in fast. Abi looked up to see to her surprise and delight, the red-haired Bezerker riding upon the neck of a older, bigger, and more powerful adult version of a familiar purple dragon. Lockheed. Gripping at the rough hide of the dragon as firmly as he could, the teenager leaned over with his other hand outstretched to the ground as Lockheed flew in close, sending many of the creeplings flying as he barreled past. Some tried to jump upon the dragon, but Lockheed was too swift for them and sent most of the ambushers reeling to come crashing against buildings and the ground. The few that did succeed in sinking their claws into the dragon were swatted off forcefully by swipes of Lockheed's tail.

"Dr. Sinian, grab on!" hollered Ray as he leaned over precariously. Abi dropped her laptop with a crash as she ran before taking a flying leap of faith, using as much muscle as she could to push herself off the ground. Should the X-Man miss his one chance…Abi would fall prey to the creeplings.

Bezerker inwardly cheered as he felt Abi's frail paws grasp his gloved hand, and the kat-curator felt herself hanging on as Lockheed rose higher and higher into the air, his wings beating magnificently, leaving many creeplings below furious at being cheated of a sudden kill, as the mutant adolescent tightened his hold on his friend, and with a grunt, he managed to lift her onto a sitting position on Lockheed's neck, right in front of him. Lockheed cooed and growled in delight and celebration.

"Dear Lockheed," Abi murmured with much thanks and gratitude as Lockheed panted affectionately while licking the professor gently in the face with the end of his giant, forked tongue.

"Hey what about me? I helped too, Dr. Sinian!" Ray protested in mock affront, and then he blushed, smiling, as Abi giggled like a young schoolgirl again as she turned around and chastely kissed Ray on the forehead.

Meanwhile, Forge managed to have Nightcrawler teleport him out of the Black Widow he was working on, now thoroughly finished with his objective.

"The shields are down!" yelled Forge over the transmission of the Enforcers and the transmission of the X-Men's uniform-communicators simultaneously, "I just sabotaged the main electronic signal! The Black Widows' shields are down! I repeat: **the Black Widows' shields are down! You can destroy them now!**"

"That's exactly what we needed to hear! Troops, X-Men, let 'em have it!" yelled Felina over the radio as the Alpha and Theta let loose with their rifles and the Behemoth tanks. Storm then summoned dark clouds to form all around her body out of nowhere as she soared into the sky, completely being in her element to its full potential as she felt the winds drop in temperature dramatically and the air crackle with charged particles. The Black Widows were besieged and cut down immediately as the blitz of lightning absolutely finished them off for good, though there were still many, many more to deal with. Felina and her Enforcers then fired off bazooka rounds directly at the Black Widows along with the catapults and hang-gliders, and the three-pronged attacks added more of a problem for Dark Kat's robots.

At the same time…

"Beast, Cannonball, I have an idea!" gasped Callie as she whispered her plan to the X-Men. Beast's eyes lit up in surprise before nodding his approval.

"Ingenious, Ms. Briggs!" he praised as he and Cannonball took off while Colossus handled Mac and Molly Mange with his armor protecting him from their blasts. Using her gun, Callie shot several bullets into the power-box maintaining the settings for the power cables stop the telephone pole, immediately damaging it and causing it to spark dangerously, exposing its circuitry as it went into overload. Cannonball then flew around, using his power to knock away all the fire hydrants around the vicinity, causing multitudes of water fountains to spew out, and in minutes, the streets were completely flooded, with the Metallikats and Colossus ankle-deep in water.

"Hey, what gives?" snarled Mac the Metallikat, but Molly the spotted Beast using his massive strength to push over the wooden telephone pole, the aged-brown wood splintering and cracking from the unbearable pressure Beast was applying on it. Cannonball then landed next to Colossus in the water.

"Peter, grab on! We better hightail it outta here!" Sam warned hurriedly and in an urgent tone, and Colossus immediately transformed back to his regular, human form as he grabbed on to Cannonball.

"Oh no, you don't!" yelled Mac as he was about to fire upon the two teenagers, but then Callie, shrieking in rage, emptied her gun clip as she fired all her bullets on the robot, distracting him as the shrapnel pelted his face and torso, allowing Cannonball to fly Piotr out of the pool of water freely before Beast managed to topple the telephone pole, snapping the wires off their attachments as the exposed power box along with its attached power cords struck the pool of water Mac was standing knee-deep in. there was a brilliant flash as Mac's metallic body convulsed and actually started smoking with little flames dancing inside his body.

"_Uuurrrrraaaaaaaagggggghhhh!_" screamed Mac as he was electrocuted. Molly, managing to scamper out of the water to safety, was distraught on seeing her husband being tortured, and instantly, she charged at Callie. The Deputy Mayor gasped, defenseless with only an empty gun as the female Metallikat readied her claws, ready to rip the beige she-kat to shreds with her own paws.

"You bitch! I'll kill you myse - !" Molly screamed before the words died in her throat, her body going limp and every one of the nanites routing her AI and computer-systems went haywire and burned into ashes from the hidden, discrete electrical surge. Molly Mange then fell to the water-covered street, dead at last.

"Are you all right!" Shadowcat asked breathlessly as she phased through the Metallikat's limp form. Thanks to her powers, she simply phased through the killer robot and destroyed all of its internal networking, her ability to walk through matter also having the dangerous side-effect of disrupting any electrical system. Kitty was absolutely certain-death to hardware, and not even the stolen nanotechnology could resurrect the Metallikat robot.

Callie nodded, satisfied upon seeing Manx's murder avenged, before she smiled at the pony-tailed girl and whispered, "Thank you."

Meanwhile, Dark Kat and his creeplings were having their own problems. Multiple, true to his nature, created his own army of clones, and with the majority of his creepling servants out throughout the metropolitan area, Dark Kat was dangerously shorthanded as he fought against Razor and the lone X-Man.

"Get off, you little wretches!" howled Dark Kat as five or six Jamies were hanging on to his body, punching, kicking, and even biting as Jake tried to take out the rest of the creepling army with the other clones with any instrument he could find seeing that his glovatrix was broken. En Sabah Nur then spoke to Dark Kat telepathically as the kat-specter as he felt the situation take a turn for the worst.

_My faithful servant, we must do it now! Summon the souls we need!_

"Yes, Master," Dark Kat declared in his deep voice as he managed to throw the Jamie clones off his body with a furious barrage of swipes. With that, the armor and stones on Dark Kat's body began to glow again as the winds all around Megakat City began to pick up and swirl all around the breach from the astral plane.

"What's going on? What's happening?" gasped Ann Gora as she saw the sudden change in the environment.

"It's Dark Crud! He's doing something!" Wolverine cried out in warning as he managed to hack away at a small group of creeplings.

"Souls of the dead, empower me! Empower my Master! Complete the ritual in the name of Seth! Arise and give glory to En Sabah Nur!" With that, Dark Kat howled his last words as the stones flashed and sent tendrils of light, embedding themselves through the hearts of the creeplings all around…and the bodies of the members of the Invincible Alliance of Evil.

"No, this ain't happening!" screamed Mac as his soul was removed from his robotic body by magic.

"Impossible! No magic can do this!" screamed the Pastmaster as his body disintegrated into dust as his life essence was drained completely. The creeplings next to him toppled over soundlessly, their eyes glazed and their bodies limp.

"Why?" screamed Hard-Drive before his soul was consumed, "_Why Dark Kat, whyyyyy? **I was loyaaaaaaaaa - !**_"

"Goddess…" Storm whispered, turning white in the face and nearly losing her dinner to her nausea.

"What the heck is he doing?" Steele gasped.

"_Oy Gevalt_, look at Dark Kat! He and his master from the astral plane are merging together! They are becoming one!" cried out Dr. Hackle on the communicators, and every kat and mutant all around saw that the aged scientist was indeed accurate. The spirit of En Sabah Nur had managed to throw off Xavier's telepathic assault and the ghostly head had floated out of the rip in space and time, only to descend upon the glowing figure of Dark Kat, the light now intensifying many-fold and being as bright as the sun.

"**_WE…SHALL…RULE…ALL!_**" Dark Kat bellowed as his mind and psyche melted away to welcome in the kat demigod. Professor X then figured what was happening as he sent a telepathic warning to all the kats and the X-Men.

_Everyone, get out! Dark Kat is merging his body with Apocalypse! They're trying to combine themselves as one, and we cannot stop it! I cannot stop them for they are now shielded and if we remain close-by, we'll all be caught in the tremendous release of magic and energy building up from the process! Don't you see it? Dark Kat and Apocalypse are trying to become one! Apocalypse has no physical body since he was banished to the astral plane, and Dark Kat's body is blessed with the X-Gene along with the prayer stones and the indestructible armor! Put two and two together, and En Sabah Nur will be able to coexist in this world in Dark Kat's body! That's why he needed to kill so many kats and civilians! With all those innocents killed in today's battle and when the SWAT Kats were discovered, Apocalypse would be strong enough to use the energy to strengthen Dark Kat's magic to fuse together! That's why they needed to create the Alliance in the first place! It was an ulterior motive by En Sabah Nur to ensure they could harvest enough souls to give Dark Kat enough strength to break through the astral plane, free Apocalypse, and allow the two of them to amalgamate into a new, unstoppable being!_

"How could he do that?" Magma gasped, "The Alliance members! His own creeplings even! How could he just heartlessly sacrifice them like that?"

Cannonball's eyes narrowed as he spat with scorned contempt, "Dark Crud works for Apocalypse, Amara! He'd sell his own mother just to eat scraps from his master's floor like some blind pet!"

"Don't waste any sympathy on them, X-Man!" Felina spoke to Amara, "The Invincible Alliance of Evil got exactly what they deserved!"

"Multiple, Razor, get out of there! I couldn't stop Apocalypse from merging with Dark Kat!" Professor X yelled at the distance and seeing, to his horror, than Jamie and Jake were still precariously close to the vicinity of Dark Kat and Apocalypse, with the SWAT Kat too preoccupied to even consider running. Jamie, on the other hand, was dragging the chains off the Commander who was still unconscious during the whole battle.

"I can't leave Feral!" Multiple cried out as he tried to carry the Commander's unconscious body by himself, but he was so weak from creating so many clones to fight off the creeplings, Jamie could not even manage to lift the large, kat's body partially off the ground. The mutant adolescent nearly collapsed under the weight as he tried to lift the Commander up by draping the kat's arm around his shoulders. Jake, for the time being, managed to look at the figure of Dark Kat, now completely devoid of any creeplings, and realized this may be his only chance. Even though his glovatrix was broken, he could still set off the grenade, and Jake was about to sprint toward the cause of his sorrows until he remembered Multiple. He glanced back to see Jamie trying to drag Feral out of danger. Jake hesitated. It was pretty obvious that if he set off the black-hole now, though Jake didn't care about his life, Jamie and the Commander would surely be sucked in as well.

Jake started run towards Dark Kat again, still intent on finishing the job he needed to achieve.

"Damn it to hell!" Jake cursed as he turned around and sprinted back to Jamie and the unconscious Commander Feral. Jamie was thoroughly relieved and ecstatic as Jake draped Ulysses' other arm around his own neck and shoulders, easing the burden.

"Damn you, Feral, I should just leave you here!" swore Jake, hissing from the exertion as every muscle in his body was screaming and protesting from the strain, as he and Jamie dragged the Commander of the Enforcers out of danger while Dark Kat and En Sabah Nur merged together.

Meanwhile, the battle for Megakat City was not over yet. The X-Men and Enforcers and the government troops were teaming up to finish the rest of the Black Widows and the mummies off.

"Shit! We're out of ammo!" yelled one Theta Enforcer as he soon learned that he no longer had any more explosives to rain down on the mummies and Black Widow spider-bots from his position.

"Crap! Me too! I'm out!" shouted another Enforcer as she checked her reserves to find them completely depleted. Several other Enforcers all around her voiced the same sentiment.

"Hold on! I can teleport more for you Enforcers! Just keep flying!" shouted Nightcrawler's voice over their radios, and before long, the blue-furred demon-like mutant was teleporting to various hang-gliders, hurriedly giving the Enforcers handfuls of what appeared to be glowing marbles. The sky was literally full of wafts of black smoke as the odor of brimstone permeated the air.

"What the heck are these things?" wondered an Enforcer out loud as he analyzed the glowing orbs of various sizes and shifting from their luminescence of peach to beige to red in an endless cycle.

"Whatever they are, they work!" exclaimed another as she dropped her handful and watched the beautiful display of miniature explosions rain down on the Black Widow robot below, each orb eating away at its surface bit by bit and exposing its vulnerable circuitry and hardware underneath.

"Quick Boom-Boom, keep it up!" gasped Kurt, a bit drained from the frequent and endless teleporting as he took another bunch of plasma-explosive energy bombs from Ann as she and Steele and Johnny were doing their best to help distribute the bombs to Kurt as he took off again. Next to them was Tabitha, feverishly making handfuls and handfuls of powerful energy discharges by the minute, sweat dripping off her brow. It was she who was creating the explosives for the Theta Enforcers to use from their hang-gliders.

"Geez, now I know how it feels to be a one-woman assembly line!" Boom-Boom groaned as Kurt appeared again to take more energy bombs from the three kats.

At the same time, Callie was helping Forge and Piotr with their efforts on an abandoned catapult…

"If I did my math right…this should throw you directly at the mummy's weak spot!" Forge crowed as he and Callie and Colossus managed to shift the catapult's position, wheeling it until it was just right and aimed directly at the Egyptian behemoth coming at them.

"Yeah, but how often do you do your math right, though?" Callie asked with a skeptical tone as Piotr then transformed into his metallic armor form, a ready metal projectile.

"Well, if we miss, Colossus can still withstand the impact," grinned Forge at the two of them.

"Thanks, Forge," Piotr responded dryly as he jumped onto the platform of the loading dock of the medieval weapon, knowing it was now or never.

"Launch me, my friend Briggs!" Colossus yelled, armed and ready.

"Fire!" yelled Callie as she pulled at the lever with enthusiasm. With a spring, the Russian, metal-skinned mutant felt the catapult fling him with tremendous force as he flew high into the air, tucking himself into a ball for effective travel before he readied himself for the impact against the mummy's head. The last sight the mummy saw was a roaring Piotr as he cocked back his fist and punched with all of his might directly at the prayer stone on the mummy's forehead.

**_SMASH!_**

"Well, whaddya know, Forge! You **did** do your math right!" Callie praised as she saw Colossus punch a gaping hole through the mummy's head, killing it instantly.

"Was there ever any doubt?" Forge asked smugly.

"**_YES!_**" shouted back any X-Man who was nearby to hear the remark, including Storm and Wolverine.

Forge glared at his teammates before ranting, "Don't you people know a _rhetorical_ question when you hear one!"

At the same moment, Iceman managed to ice the very floor a Black Widow was standing on, causing it to stumble, and that gave Rogue a chance to impale it directly into the head with a metal leg she ripped off another fallen spider robot. The Black Widow went limp before its entire body burst into flames.

"Boy, I'm really startin' to get the hang of this!" Rogue snorted as she ripped off another spider leg before hurtling it like a javelin at the head of a mummy, causing it to die as she directly speared the metal shaft directly at the prayer stone.

Meanwhile, the National Guard was still chasing down another Egyptian scalawag…

"Crap, the last mummy! It's going to crush the city!"

"No it won't!" Jean yelled, determined to stop it as she braced herself for a huge effort. The General just watched, amazed, to see the young, red-haired mutant girl fly off without a thought for her safety as she chased the gargantuan monster and caused it to stop in its tracks.

"Uuuggghhhh!" screamed Jean in pain, wincing, with her hands to her throbbing temples as she summoned all her strength and telekinetic forces to hold the last remaining mummy in place, preventing it from moving. Upon finding itself inhibited, the bandaged monster roared in outrage as it started to struggle, but Jean then lifted the mummy completely off the ground, holding it to hover in the air and not allowing the Pastmaster's monster to gain any foothold on the street. Taking his chance, Nightcrawler teleported to the mummy's head in a puff of smoke and his eyes wildly looked around until it found the prayer stone attached to its forehead. Grabbing at it, the blue X-Man teleported out, taking the prayer stone with him and immediately depleting the giant of its vital energy source.

"I got it!" Kurt crowed as he teleported next to the Enforcers and National Guards, immediately throwing the stone to the ground and smashing it to pieces. That was all the soldiers needed to hear.

"**FIRE AT WILL!**" roared the General as all of the available tanks and Behemoth Enforcer vehicles let loose their rounds and missiles from their turrets directly at the ogre while Jean held it in position, unable to escape.

**KABOOOOOOM!**

Jean sighed with relief as she felt the last mummy of the Pastmaster perish and disintegrate before their very eyes.

Lockheed was flying alongside Sunspot as they chased the last Black Widow…

"NOW!" yelled Sunspot as he, Lockheed, and Bezerker shot out their powers simultaneously at the leading Black Widow robot while avoiding the laser-fire and missile barrage. In a beautiful and stunning display, Ray's electricity surge, Roberto's sunspot energy-beams, and Lockheed's stream of dragon-flame swirled and combined together to form a trinity of unstoppable blast of electricity, sun-radiation, and fire, the mass swirling into a large, wide column as it descended directly at the Black Widow. The death-android of Dark Kat didn't even have a chance as the powers neatly and effectively cut it in half before causing it to melt and explode.

"You did it!" cheered Abi as she hung on to Lockheed's neck, "Ray, Roberto, Lockheed, you three did it!"

"No way, Dr. Sinian! We **all** did it! Together!" Roberto clarified as both he and Ray grinned at Abi. Lockheed growled in agreement as Abi blushed.

Then Ray added with some afterthought, "Of course, my electricity hit it first! I made the first shot!"

"As if, Ray! I hit it first! **I** made the first shot!" Roberto shot back with an edge in his voice.

"No, I made the first shot!" Ray growled.

"No, **I** did!" Roberto growled back with equal insistence.

"Rivals to the end, I see?" Abi murmured to Lockheed as she watched Bezerker and Sunspot heatedly continue to argue and fight. Lockheed rolled his eyes and sighed heavily.

Meanwhile, the rest of the X-Men and Enforcers managed to see En Sabah Nur emerge in his full glory, his metallic, gray armor now infused with his body as Dark Kat's eyes glowed in the exact same soulless-yellow they witnessed before.

"**_IT IS DONE, YOU FOOLS! THIS CITY AND THIS WORLD SHALL BE SHAPED IN MY IMAGE, IN ITS LIKENESS OF THE WORLD'S FUTURE KING!_**"

"Not likely!" roared Steele as he, the Enforcers, Callie, Lockheed and the X-Men then converged on Apocalypse, firing everything they had at the new hybrid monstrosity, but with a wave of his hand, the energy and bullets dissipated, vanishing into thin air.

"What the hell?" gasped Felina.

"Oh crud, this is not good!" Sunspot gasped as he saw the specialized armor power up from the energy intake, from absorbing their attacks, as it got ready to send it right back at them. But then Dark Kat started screaming in pain, his onslaught forgotten, as his body seemed to have suddenly lost control.

"Huh? What's happenin' to him?" Sam asked, confused.

Indeed, it seemed as if Dark Kat had gone mad. His eyes flashed from yellow to white to red as the purple demon-ka was twitching and going into violent spasms, his body actually disfiguring itself and warping into figures not physically possible for any kat, stretching and twisting like silly putty.

"**_WHAT IS HAPPENING TO THIS BODY?_**" screamed En Sabah Nur as the vessel of Dark Kat was jerking wildly out of control. It was then that, to the mutant's horror, he would that he was not the only strong mind and soul fighting for control of Dark Kat's psyche.

The voice of Chance Furlong roared throughout the compartments of En Sabah Nur's soul and mind.

_Word of advice, Dark Crud: **you can't ever take down a SWAT Kat!**_

"**_NNNOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!_**" screamed En Sabah Nur as he brought Dark Kat's paws to his head, shaking wildly as he tried to force the intruder out, "Get out, you damned pest! GET OUT! This body, this city, this realm, this world…**IS MINE!**"

Jake then saw his only chance as he sprinted forward, taking the glovatrix off his paw.

"What the hell are you doing, you dumb hairball? Get your ass back here!" yelled Wolverine, but Razor ignored him as he leapt onto Dark Kat's distracted body and jammed the glovatrix into an opening in Apocalypse's suit of armor. Picking up a piece of rebar he found on the ground, Jake roared as he held it high above his head and cracked the compartment of the glovatrix containing the black-hole grenade.

"**_This is for Chance, you bastard!_**"

With a flash…the black hole detonated as a massive, purple vortex began to form all around them.

"Oh no…" whispered Professor X in dread.

"The black hole, it's been activated!" Dr. Hackle wheezed.

"Everyone, hang on to something sturdy! This is going to be most troubling!" Beast hollered.

"Translation: this is gonna be ugly!" Iceman clarified as he formed several ice poles for everyone to grab on to as the black hole got bigger and bigger, sucking in everything it could with its awesome gravitational pull.

"**_NNOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!_**" shrieked Dark Kat and En Sabah Nur as they were both sent to a new form of prison…one that the two of them would never escape as they were both sent to galaxies and times unknown, only to be crushed and obliterated within a mass of gravity and endless darkness. Jake, being so close, couldn't escape the damning pull of the black-hole.

"Chance…I'll see you soon, old buddy," Jake whispered to himself as he closed his eyes and allowed his body to go limp as he was about to be sucked into the swirling hole of nothingness. This would be it.

Yet there was a flurry of beeping as Jake suddenly felt himself halted short of being sucked into the void painfully, his body being pulled in opposite directions, as he felt something loop over his chest multiple times before latching on. Opening his eyes weakly, the brown kat saw that a lassoed-grappling hook made of indestructible, reinforced steel-wire was maintaining an unbreakable hold around him, acting as a makeshift lifesaver around his body, the lifeline taut yet maintaining a firm grip on him. Jake feebly turned his head to see the lasso was originating from the Cybertron 1 robot, the android immediately springing into action and firing the grappling hook from its chest to snare the SWAT Kat from being sucked into nothingness. Unfortunately, the black hole was much, much stronger as Jake was still being slowly pulled towards the black portal, dragging the Cybertron along with him, despite the furious backpedaling by the robot's treaded wheels.

"Everyone, pull! Help out the robot!" roared Wolverine as he grasped at the thick, metal wire as Jean encased a protective bubble around Jake so that the extreme gravitational forces of the black hole didn't pull him apart. Immediately, all of the X-Men, Felina, Callie, Lieutenant Steele, Dr. Hackle and Abi Sinian grabbed at the wire and started pulling back. Even with the superhuman strengths of Rogue, Beast, Colossus, and Sunspot, all of the combined efforts could only barely stop Jake from plummeting to his doom as the black hole got stronger and stronger.

After a few tense moments, the black hole sputtered before it shrank into nothingness and disappeared with a gentle whine.

"Wow, Doctor, I am certainly glad that particular invention of yours was not very long-lasting," Piotr managed to utter to Dr. Hackle in a feeble attempt for humor as he shakily got on his feet.

"Razor!" cried out Jamie as he and the others sprinted towards the limp figure lying on the blacktop in the distance, extracting themselves from the crowd of the Enforcers. Jake was battered, bruised, and almost teetering between consciousness and unconsciousness, but overall, the SWAT Kat was numb, cold, at a loss. He didn't know whether to feel grateful for being spared or feeling cheated that he couldn't end his pain and that he would have to continue living with the guilt in his heart.

"Jake, please be all right," Kurt said gently as he and Logan helped the SWAT Kat raise his face from the dirt. Logan, however, knowing how deep Jake's scars and wounds ran, then lightly rubbed the vigilante's back, as if starting to see Jake Clawson in a new light for the first time they arrived in this dimension.

"Ya' did good, hairball. Chance would have been proud of you," Logan said as compassionately as he could. He knew, from experience, that it would one of the few things that could possibly register as meaningful to Jake.

Jake felt his entire body go limp from the exertion and the soreness of his injuries, his heart pounding hard and painfully against his ribcage. But his heart then stopped for a second when he, the X-Men, and the nearby kats heard the click of a hammer being drawn back from a gun. Everyone turned to see Commander Ulysses Feral standing not too far from Razor with his .45 revolver pointed directly at the fallen SWAT Kat. He had just regained consciousness long enough to see the X-Men help the Enforcers fight against Dark Kat and Jake being left completely enervated and helpless.

"Jake Clawson, you are hereby under arrest for treason against the city and obstruction of the law by vigilantism," Feral said coldly, his yellow eyes narrowed and full of unforgiving cruelty. Upon the declaration, the other nearby Enforcers aimed their weapons at the weakened Jake Razor Clawson. Now that the war with Dark Kat was over, the Enforcers no longer had any obligation to side with the vigilante and most, if not all of the kats, were eager to claim some sort of share for the bounty.

The X-Men were furious to say the least.

"What are you doing?" cried Kitty, "You have like totally no right to do this to Jake!"

"Silence, X-Men! You're all lucky I don't have my Enforcers throw you into Alkatraz along with Clawson, or better yet, in some top-level government research lab like all genetic freaks! Do not bother with this matter! Step aside and let the Enforcers do their job!"

Instead of complying, as one, unanimous and united, all the X-Men, even Lockheed, stood by Razor, unwilling to abandon the kat and their friend. Jake was immediately hidden by a curtain of human bodies, and even though the Enforcers and government soldiers were encircled all around them, not one of the X-Men budged.

"You will not take him," Ororo said calmly, though her words had unmistakable steel underneath, "Jake has done no crime, has committed no wrong, and he has fought alongside the Enforcers to stop the Alliance, Commander. Jake has done nothing for you to warrant taking him to prison. He even saved your life."

"It changes nothing," Feral stated.

"You heartless ingrate," spat Roberto in loathing.

"X-Men, this is my final warning: step aside or we will shoot all of you," Feral spoke sharply.

"Then you'll have to shoot me too, Feral," spat out Callie Briggs viciously and with a warning touch of danger as she fearlessly strode over alongside the X-Men, flanking Beast and Cannonball, "Question is, would your Enforcers be so willing to shoot an innocent civilian?"

Now some of the officers and the National Guard were beginning to look a bit uncomfortable as they realized that there would be repercussions if Briggs was assaulted or injured in the attempt to bring Jake Clawson to justice. Feral wasn't the least bit intimidated from the bluff; he was too damn close to let _her_ ruin his chance.

"You are no longer the Deputy Mayor, Briggs," the Commander pointed out flatly, "yet apparently, removing you from office didn't encourage you to take heed of meddling in the Enforcers' affairs. And I will personally enjoy seeing you get carted to jail along with your so-called hero."

"Then you shall have to take us with her as well, Commander," Abi Sinian announced as she and Dr. Hackle emerged from the sidelines and joined with Callie, both of them glaring at Feral with the air of a beaten-down warrior who had yet to give up while facing an endless enemy. The Cybertron 1.0 beeped and made a few various mechanical noises before rolling over on its treaded wheels to join alongside his creator and inventor. The aged scientist smiled grimly at the robot, slightly proud that compared to a living-and-breathing Feral, the android had the better sense of heart.

Feral was now looking murderously scandalized as he growled at the two renowned public-figures in the scientific community, "**YOU!** I should have known that you two would have aided Razor in his scheme for this entire debacle! Forget Alkatraz! I'll see to it that you two scientists shall not even be fit to work with children once I am through with you traitors! You two will never be able to show your faces in this country ever again!"

Abi then went up straight, her back pure, unfaltering steel, as she spoke with cold, sharp ice-pricks, "That threat may have worked before, Ulysses, but it certainly shall not hold much as of now. We hold no fear over you and your Enforcers, especially after today and from what we have seen and witnessed. I don't care if my legacy and research and hard-work at the Megakat City Museum goes to shambles, and I certainly do not care what you or the rest of this town shall think of me after this. But I warn you, Commander: we are not leaving until Jake and the X-Men are safe."

"You impertinent, stuffy fools! You would be willing to throw it all away, your careers, your works, your reputations and standings, even your **lives**…all for this low-life vigilante?" Feral shouted, now turning red.

Dr. Hackle said softly, "Yes, we are. And defending Clawson after everything he has done for us and the city would lead to no regrets on our parts. At least Abi and I can meet our Makers with clear consciences which is more than I can say for you, you _shmuck_."

The large, strapping kat narrowed his eyes, his gun quivering, as he barked to his officers, "Lieutenants, take Briggs, Sinian, and Hackle out of the way and arrest them for aiding and abetting a wanted fugitive! Use any means necessary to drag their tails out of here!"

Dr. Hackle then frowned as he called out, "A word of warning, Commander: you may not find it so easy, at least not without one of your Enforcers getting seriously injured."

"Is that a threat? I'll gladly take in the X-Men if you trying asking them to help you out!"

Dr. Hackle crossed his arms as he said concretely, "Please, don't insult me, Feral. I would not be crass enough to endanger the X-Men to fight my own battles. And I was actually warning you in advance to what my Cybertron 1 and Cybertron 2 robots would do to you and your Enforcers if they touch either me or Abi."

It was then that the soldiers then noticed that the hulking Cybertron 2 was towering over them from behind, cold, angry and waiting for the right moment. After seeing what the two could do to Hard-Drive and the Black Widows, the soldiers were less than willing to see how the robots would react to their hostility.

"Both of my robots are programmed to attack any kat who tries to physically harm us, and as a side precaution, I have also changed the artificial intelligence to protect Jake Clawson as well," Dr. Hackle explained, though not without a little worry. He would never feel good about himself if the Enforcers ignored his warning and got killed by the Cybertrons' paws; he respected their lives too much.

"You're bluffing, you medicated, mangy, diapered fool!" snarled Feral, now feeling cornered, "You have hardly made inventions that have worked successfully before due to your blundering track-record!"

Abi then smiled as she said, "Well now…then that makes the actions of the Cybertrons a bit unpredictable, doesn't it? Are you willing to risk that, Feral?"

There was a short pause before Feral then pushed forward, his stubborn resolve now being adamant as the fleeting picture of Jake rotting in Alkatraz danced in his head. He said curtly, "Lieutenants, arrest each and every one of them!"

Lieutenant Steele then solemnly and slowly walked up to the crowd shielding Razor, his face an emotionless mask. There were a few surprised and furious whispers and mutterings, ranging anywhere from shock to disgust for the young Enforcer who was well known to suck up and step on people for any sense of opportunity. That was why no other Enforcer followed suit; they wanted to see how badly Steele would make a fool out of himself _this_ time. Plus, no one wanted to be the guinea pig to try out how seriously the war-robots of Dr. Hackle would attack them if they escorted the scientists forcefully. Tabitha looked slightly betrayed as she stared at the kat who helped her and Lockheed kill Pastmaster, but she ruefully bit her tongue as Steele stared at the faces of Callie, Abi, and Dr. Hackle. Callie's face was cold fire, disdain and loathing; from her past dealings with Steele, she never had much respect for him. Abi was silent, nonjudgmental and awaiting to see what would happen. Dr. Hackle looked a bit worried.

Steele took a deep breath, removed his gun from his holster…and turned around to face Feral.

"No, Commander," Steele declared in a strong voice, though inside, his spirit was shaking, finding it difficult to stand up to his superior who had the ability to make the rest of his life at the Enforcer headquarters a living hell. Not to mention he could kiss that promotion to Commander good-bye. Tabitha, Dr. Hackle and Dr. Sinian looked relieved, while Callie was just plain floored. And so was Feral, but more in an outraged, furious manner, as if he wanted nothing else but to grab the Lieutenant by the throat and rip him apart.

"**'NO'?**"

"It means exactly that, Commander. I won't follow that order," Steele clarified.

"You snot-nosed, insubordinate, little - !" Feral screamed, leaving the insult unfinished as he bellowed, "Forget being demoted, Steele! I'll kick you off the Enforcers entirely! How dare you disgrace the Enforcer name, you bumbling prick! When I'm finished with you, you won't even be able to get a job of writing parking tickets or being a mall-security guard, you useless failure!"

Steele unconsciously grasped thin air with his paw, and Tabitha, realizing how difficult it was to summon the courage, held the kat's paw with her grimy yet smooth hand in support as Steele shot back, "I can't say I could care less about it, Commander."

To add further insult to injury, Steele fumbled a bit as he removed his metal Enforcer badge from his chest-pocket of his uniform and tossed it to the ground in front on him, speaking in volumes.

"You will pay for that, Steele! All of you will pay for helping that vigilante!" Feral cried out, now getting desperate. Why was it so difficult for them to see it? He was upholding the law! He was doing the right thing! He couldn't afford to show leniency, especially not to a SWAT Kat who had been the cause of much of his torment and humiliation of the Enforcers! Feral was doing this for the greater good, the good of the law!

"Not likely, Commander Feral," Ann Gora said as she and Johnny K. stood alongside Kurt and Colossus, with Johnny filming the furious Feral with a spare, functional camera he managed to find in the news van, "If you throw Razor in jail and take in the Deputy Mayor and the rest of her friends, I'll see to it that this footage gets sent to every news station in the country. I can make your name stink worse than Dark Kat from here to the most desolate countries in the world, especially since we got some good shots of Razor saving your life and defeating En Sabah Nur."

"Trust us, Feral…we'd be willing to do it and make Jake look like the hero again. And judging from the stuff we filmed, it wouldn't take much to convince other kats of the same thing," Johnny added snidely.

Feral rumbled, "So you two are against the Enforcers as well! Then I'll have your jobs for defying the court-order on the media!"

"Oh will you wake up, you sleaze!" snapped Tabitha, "Even **we** can see it! They're not against the Enforcers! They're just against _you_ for the way you're treating Jake like a criminal! The way you're ruining his life! He didn't deserve the crap you did to him!"

Then Lieutenant Felina Feral walked up quietly, her head bowed, before taking her place along with Jean, Ororo, and Professor Xavier. All the Enforcers around them gasped.

"Felina?" Feral felt his whole world crumble when he saw he niece defy the Enforcers along with the rest of the traitors. Felina didn't say anything, but she gave her Uncle the deepest look of sadness and pity. She didn't want to do this, but she had no choice. She owed Jake and Chance this…and she also wanted to save her Uncle from making a mistake. The biggest mistake of his life that he was too narrow-minded and stubborn to realize. Feral was truly shocked to the core; he didn't know what to do now.

Callie then spat, "How blind are you, Feral? All of us can see it! The X-Men, Felina, Ann and Dr. Hackle and Dr. Sinian! Even some of your Enforcers! This isn't right! This isn't justice!"

Yet whatever words that were going to leave Callie's mouth next died in her throat as she then saw Jake limp his way out of the protective line that she, the X-Men, Hackle, Sinian, Steele, Felina, Johnny and Ann formed in front of the SWAT Kat to stop the Enforcers from taking him away. Jake's eyes were shining with hurt and pain, but the haunted and mercurial ex-Enforcer managed to firmly push his way into the line of fire.

"Razor, what the hellkats are you doing?" Johnny cried out.

Ann was now crying in loss as she shouted, "Jake, you don't need to do this!"

"Jake…" Jean murmured in sorrow as she then sensed his thoughts, but she did not try to stop the SWAT Kat.

As the puzzled Enforcers kept their eyes and guns beadily homed in on the approaching figure, Jake managed to limp his way forward until he was directly in front of Feral himself, the gun the Commander was holding how quivering directly at Jake's forehead. Feral was furiously confused. What in the name of Megakat City was the fool trying to achieve? If he attacked Feral directly in plain sight, the Enforcers would shoot him. If Jake tried to kill the Commander, well, then it would further prove to the world what a menace he was and how he deserved to rot in Alkatraz. And in his condition and without his glovatrix, Jake couldn't possibly run away and escape, especially with the area surrounded by so many Enforcer and government soldiers.

There was no possible way out of this.

Yet Feral then could have honestly said he had never been more shocked and appalled when Jake gently placed his paw over the Commander's gun, their paws touching, before guiding the barrel down until it directly rested in Jake's chest, pointing directly over his heart.

"Kill me," Jake hissed jadedly.

Even though it was barely a whisper, everyone all around could hear the request. Callie went numb as Abi Sinian placed both of her paws over her mouth. Johnny K. nearly dropped his camera, and both the Cybertron 1 and 2 androids beeped mechanically, furiously. Each one of the X-Men felt pity and sorrow for Jake, even, surprisingly enough, Logan, but they did not make a move to protest or stop the SWAT Kat. Even though they cared, they could not meddle in this; how else could you stop someone who has nothing else to live for? Felina unconsciously clenched her paw in a fist, her eyes glassy, as Lieutenant Steele bit his lip hard, causing it to bleed a geyser. Ann felt tears spring to her eyes again as she fought the urge to scream at Jake for his stupidity. Dr. Hackle then turned his head a bit to the side as he closed his eyes and whispered, shaking, "Oh Jacob, you…you fool."

Feral and the rest of the Enforcers just stood there, blinking and unsure. Jake's voice then dropped into a plea, a tone of fatigued begging as his eyes were now streaming.

"Please…kill me," Jake repeated.

Feral then tried to regain control of the situation as he growled at the SWAT Kat, "I don't do requests of vigilante scum like you, Clawson. I'm not going to give you the easy way out, especially since it shall be all the more satisfying to watch you rot in prison for all the times you and T-Bone hindered the Enforcers and endangered the city with your reckless shenanigans."

"So just shoot me and make it easier for the both of us, Feral. I've already lost everything else, and there's nothing more you could take away from me. We both know that I won't go to Alkatraz willingly. I'll die or break out first. So I'll make it easier for the both of us. **Kill me.**"

"Don't tempt me, Clawson," Feral spat, but one could now notice that his paw holding the gun against Jake's chest was quivering, hesitant.

"What else do you want me to do?" Jake screamed, his voice now hoarse as he did his best to allow his sobs interrupt his anger, "You've won! You've won, just like how you've always damn well wanted! I don't give a crap anymore! I don't care that the SWAT Kats are public enemy number one now! I don't care how the Enforcers can gloat over how they could stop the Alliance when the SWAT Kats couldn't! I don't care if the Enforcers are the better heroes than the SWAT Kats are! I don't even care about my own goddamn life and reputation anymore! Just end it now! Take my life! Put a bullet in me! At least then I'll be wherever my buddy Chance is!"

"Jake, stop! Please!" begged Callie, now weeping, unable to bear to watch this any longer.

Ulysses Feral felt his breath quake inside his lungs as he felt everyone's eyes bear down upon him and Clawson, clearly wrestling with the decision in more ways than one.

"Oh God!" sobbed Amara, holding her hands over her mouth as she wept.

The Professor then had the most damning mind-vision spring to the surface:

_It was late in the Enforcers Headquarters, past the wee hours of the morning and Commander Feral was by himself at his office, with a half-empty bottle of vodka at his desk, left untouched along with various files and manilla-folders strewn around his desk. Instead of taking a break or sleeping, Commander Ulysses Feral was just numbly staring at the window, watching the cloudless starry sky and with a newspaper angrily clutched in his left paw. The newspaper's front page was showing a picture of the SWAT Kats, T-Bone and Razor, both of them cockily standing in front of their jet, the Turbokat, with their glovatrixes armed and ready along with the caption, "**SWAT Kats Break Mob Ring: Are the Enforcers the true city protectors?**"_

_The look on Feral's face, however, was a sad mixture between resignation, simmering fury…and longing._

_Feral then said quietly, almost as if the SWAT Kats themselves were nearby and could hear him, "This is what you two do, isn't it? You help kats and stop the bad criminals. Unselfishly. Without any thought of compensation or fear of not following the law, without any caution for any sort of backlash on your reputations or status, without even being hindered by the very same law we enforce so tirelessly."_

_There was a pause before Feral's voice became bitter._

_"You two may be the best thing for the city, for the world. Kats love you, look up to you, stand by and defend you regardless of what they are told. Even my very niece is taken by you two…damn you."_

_Feral's face grew hard and cold as he growled to himself, "You blasted two are everything I aspire to be…and everything I never can be. You SWAT Kats are so damned lucky to not be a Commander, to not be a kat of the law. I'm too damned weak to change that…but I'll also be weak enough to try and drag the both of you down. God help me, I'll be counting the days when I can see you two kats fall from grace because so help me…I'm jealous of you two and for what you stand for."_

"Oh Feral," Professor Xavier murmured quietly in sorrow.

"Do it!" hissed Jake in pain as he choked on his sobs, "Isn't this what you always wanted?"

Feral just stared at Jake, his eyes troubled, seeing the SWAT Kat's brokenness. Felina then realized the true answer, the true reason why Feral hated the SWAT Kats so much…and _this_ wasn't what he wanted.

"Uncle," Felina whispered, praying for him to do the right thing as tears stung her eyes.

With his finger shaking on the trigger…Feral lowered the gun and placed the safety on his pistol, his face full of defeat and his eyes closed.

"I can't do it, Clawson," he shakily said. At a loss, Jake sunk to all fours, numb and lifeless, his burning grief caught in his throat and silencing his voice as his eyes kept watering.

"It didn't stop you from doing it to Chance," Jake managed to choke out huskily without glancing upwards.

Feral then gave Razor a look of shameful pity, as if he finally realized the extent Chance's death had over this entire ordeal.

"No…it didn't," the Commander agreed hesitantly as Callie rushed over to Jake's side and cried along with him as she hugged the brown kat around his neck, mourning for Chance as the X-Men and Enforcers looked on, their hearts pained as one despite the difference in species.

000-

"So…what's going to happen, now, Jake?" Callie whispered softly as she stroked the side of Jake's matted face with a delicate paw later that afternoon. Both she and the brown SWAT Kat were sitting on the broken sidewalk, contemplating, while the Enforcers and the government soldiers were doing their best scourging throughout the city with the aid from the Cybertron robots. In a weird way, the reunion between the two kats was a bit uplifting.

Razor was silent, brooding, before he said, his voice shaking with troubled spirit, "I'm not sure."

"I think I might be able to help you somewhat, Jake," Callie provided, hoping that somehow, she could be the one to help the SWAT Kat heal from the hell he had endured for the past month, "Manx handed me the job of Mayor before he died, and I'm sure the Megakat City Council won't veto against the decision, especially since Felina is willing to testify that Manx was in his right mind while making the political move. And now that Megakat City has been spared, the council will be more than willing to try to make up my forced-resignation since they need a kat who knows how to keep this city together after the tragedies that occurred."

Jake was silent, but he still managed to glance Callie with a half-hearted smile. Callie continued with rising hope.

"I'm sure that as Mayor, I'll be able to get a full-pardon for you from the various charges made against you by Feral and the Enforcers. And I think if we can get you into Witness Protection, then you might be able to hide and live out a relatively-normal life somewhere where you can finally not have to be worry about being hounded and chased by the media and criminals. And I think if you were interested enough, Felina said the Enforcers could use your talents and expertise to train the new recruits of the city unit, and I know Puma-Dyne is already inquiring if you would like to be a researcher for them in their weapons-defense program."

Jake still was glum and morose at this. It wasn't what his heart was telling him, what his spirit was begging for as a respite. His wounds ran too deep for him to settle down in that way, for him to live in whatever Megakat City could possibly offer. Callie had tears in her eyes again as she begged the brown kat, desperate to find something to make him happy, something to bring him back to life, something…to give him closure.

"Jake, please say something. What do you want to do? What do you need? If there's something else you'd rather do and stay in Megakat City as a junk-yard kat at the salvage yard, I'm sure I can get you assigned back there again if you'd like. Please, Jake, just tell me what is it you need to heal from this, and I'll do anything in my power to help you."

Jake then gazed at the ruined parts of the city before locking his pained eyes on the X-Men, all of the teens gathered around Logan, Hank, Ororo and Professor Xavier as if the X-Elders were the kids' patrons, their elders, all of them being…a family. Even though they were all outcasts, they were a family of outcasts. Just like how he and Chance once were.

A family.

Jake then sadly shook his head at Callie as he whispered softly, "I think I know what I have to do now, Callie."

**Author's notes: Hope you guys enjoyed this chapter! It was the hardest one I've written yet and the one I've put the most effort on! Read and review, and constructive criticism welcome! Next Friday, we will see what will happen now in the chapter, "Saying Good-bye". And let me say, you reviewers are the best!**


	9. Saying GoodBye

**CHAPTER 9: Saying Good-Bye**

"Do you want us to come with you, Jake?" Felina asked the brown, furred cat as she, Callie, and Jake were standing at the base of the peaceful, grassy knoll just on the outskirts of the city's metropolitan areas, the green pastures overlooking the ocean in the distance, "This might be a little hard for you…and we'll be glad to offer any support if it could help."

Jake shook his head, though he secretly appreciated the offer, replying miserably, "No."

Callie seemed a bit hurt at being brushed aside, but she said compassionately with a small nod, "We'll be waiting for you here when you're done, Jake."

Jake felt his feet turn like lumps of lead to match his heavy heart as he walked uphill, his aching hind paws brushing against the wet cool grass and moist dirt. It was late afternoon, and it was, surprisingly, a beautiful day to symbolize the joy and celebration of the city after the war. However, by contrast, the air was absolutely chilly all around Jake as he respectfully and carefully made his way through the hill until he reached his destination of a single stone amid the hundreds of others up at the very top, the upright, slab of dark marble resting serenely underneath the shade of a yew tree casting a few light shadows overhead.

Upon reaching the hallowed site, Jake nearly felt overwhelmed with grief as he sank to his knees, but managed to brush away the tears with the stained sleeve of his G-suit from his eyes while slightly admiring the words of the tombstone Felina and Callie had respectfully chose to be carved on the rock. On it said these words:

_**Chance Furlong**_

_November 25, 1975 – May 19, 2005_

_Enforcer, Protector, Brother, Son, Buddy, Hero_

_For down these mean skies, a SWAT Kat will always fly_

_Thank you for being our strength and our hope_

Jake had to force the words to come out of his dry throat as he spoke from his soul.

"Hey, old buddy, it's me. Sorry about being a bit late…but I guess when you're running from Enforcers through a sewer and rummaging through garbage dumpsters and surplus stores for food and water, you don't have much time to go searching for graves. Plus, I couldn't risk those kids getting hurt or letting Dark Kat and the Alliance spot me."

There was only unbearable silence as a bird sang softly in the background. Jake's vision blurred within seconds as he touched the smooth marble, warm from hours of absorbing the sunlight all day. It provided little comfort to the artic feelings he was shivering from inside.

Jake then said, "Callie told me how she punched Feral directly in the kisser right there in the middle of the Enforcer headquarters for everyone to see. Heh, I know we would have both paid money to see that one. Just like how I know we both wish we could have seen the look on Dark Crud's face when we sent him back to the black hole for good."

The brown kat then numbly started pulling the few dandelions and weeds on the grave, needing something to occupy his shaking paws as he spoke the one-sided conversation.

"I wish we could go back to the good, old days too. Oh God, I miss it too…so much. The cars we fixed up, the obstacle races we went through, the smells of grease and brake fluid, the video games we argued and fought over, the Scaredy Kat marathons and late nights with David Litterbin, the weapons we built and the time we spent detailing the Turbokat. I remember it like it was yesterday. Oh God Chance…I miss it so much."

Jake felt his throat clog up, a hot ball of grief and hurt. His breathing was ragged, his chest heaving, as he forced his voice not to give in to the urge to sob.

"I'm going to stop by the hangar and salvage yard and garage one last time before I leave. Just to take some stuff and junk that I want to have for sentimental reasons…but I'm not going to violate your personal spaces, Chance. Anything that's yours, I asked Felina to save and send it to your family as keepsakes, for something for them to have as memories of you. I…I know you would have wanted that. And I know you'd approve of Felina of doing the job since she's fair and she cares about you very much. She tries to deny it, but I can tell she had a little thing for you as T-Bone. And Callie misses you a lot too; she told me how she visited here every day ever since you…ever since the wake. Callie even said how she had to fight tooth and claw to stop Feral from preventing you from getting a decent burial, and how it was such a big turnout. Everyone in the city, hell even some criminals and rival gangs and Enforcers, all came together and came to show some respect or to gawk without fighting or arguing. It was like everyone didn't want to disrespect a SWAT Kat and that they could put aside their differences for your sake. Heh…I'll bet Feral never would have thought you'd bring the whole city together like this…"

At this, Jake couldn't stand it anymore as he broke down and cried, his paw balled into a fist on the soft earth.

"Goddamn it, Chance, I miss you so much!" Jake wailed.

It took a few minutes as the sun set lower and lower into the ocean, turning the sky red with beautiful tones of pink and purple from the clouds before Jake could recollect himself.

"I…I'm so sorry, for what I couldn't do, and for what I'm about to do now. I wish to God I could stay here with you, but I can't. And I wish to God you could come with me, but that would be selfish on my part. I…I don't know if I'll ever be able to come back here to Megakat City again, and it kills me to know this, to say it. You were the only friend I could count on, and it's just tearing up my heart that we have to part like this. This might be the last time I can ever say good-bye, so in case if it is…"

There was a pause before Jake then whispered softly, barely audible.

"I love you too, Chance."

With that, Jake stood up and stroked the top of the gravestone for a few moments before he turned to leave. Yet to his amazement and surprise, he saw Chance's family standing behind him a little bit away. His mother, yellow-furred, bespectacled and with gray, teased hair, Chance's older brother Evan, a brown-tabby accountant in a three-piece suit with Chance's same playful, blue eyes, and Chance's younger sister, Jessica, a yellow, striped she-kat with the same fur-color exactly like Chance. All of them were holding bouquets of red roses to bless the grave, only to find Jake talking with the gravestone of Chance; they had heard every word. Chance's mother had tears in her eyes as she stared at Jake, feeling her heart go out to him. Evan looked sincerely worried and concerned for the surviving SWAT Kat, as if he knew and understood (and respected) Jake's reason why he was there. Yet Jessica was glowering at Jake with absolute poison, as if Jake's presence was desecrating Chance's grave. Not that Jake could blame her; he expected some hate to come his way from this.

"What are **you** doing here?" Jessica spat in outrage, "You're not welcome here! Get the hellkats out!"

"Jessica!" Evan reprimanded his sister with a bit of anger, frowning.

"I'll leave," the brown-furred vigilante said in a defeated tone as he walked past them towards Callie and Felina who were observing this with uneasiness from the bottom where they could witness and hear every angry word coming from the grieving sister.

"Jake, please don't go," Chance's mother tried to placate, her voice misty with sorrow, "You can stay here longer with us if you'd like. Chance would have wanted it; he wouldn't have minded."

"I can't. You're his family, and I'm not really a part of it," Jake said as he continued to limp his way down the hill.

Evan tried to stop the SWAT Kat as he said kindly, "You are, Jake, and you're not imposing on us. _Please!_ Don't leave on our accounts. Stay if you want, Jake. We don't blame you for what happened!"

"Let him leave! We'd all be better off without him here!" snapped Jessica as she snarled at Jake's retreating back. Evan then whirled on his younger sister in heated opposition.

"That's enough, Jessica! Chance died because of Dark Kat, and he died the way he would have wanted to! He died doing the right thing and trying to save the city! It's not Jake's fault!"

Jessica was now screaming, hysterical, "I don't care about that! I hate him! **_I hate him! _**It **is** Clawson's fault Chance died! Because of him, Chance got expelled and kicked out of the Enforcers and had to live in disgrace as a junkyard kat! Because of him, Chance had to endanger his life for Megakat City and got his reputation and life trashed in the media and tabloids because of it! If there was any justice in the world, Jake should have died instead Chance!"

The she-kat then shrieked at Jake as he walked stonily towards Callie and Felina, not showing how much her words were like a knife stabbing and twisting in his gut, "**_It's your fault, you know! You killed Chance just as well as Dark Kat! Where were you? WHERE WERE YOU? WHY COULDN'T YOU SAVE HIM? WHY DID YOU LET HIM DIE? I'LL NEVER FORGIVE YOU FOR DRAGGING CHANCE IN YOUR MESS, YOU BASTARD! I HOPE YOU NEVER COME BACK!_**"

"By all my nine lives, I just want to go up there and slap her hard across her face," growled Callie as she got into the driver's seat. Yet Jake, always being understanding and empathetic, shook his head as he, Callie, and Felina left in Callie's sedan, still being able to detect the shrill she-kat's voice through the bullet-proof windows.

Jake commented sadly, "No, it's better for her to vent out like this. I'd rather have her blame me than having her blame herself or Chance…and she's got a right to grieve. This is probably to only way for Jessica to deal with the pain of having her brother die like that, and to tell the truth, I don't blame her. She's hurting."

Felina then asked the SWAT Kat hesitantly, "Jake…what about you and your family? Don't you want to say good-bye to them as well?"

Jake's eyes turned blank and emotionless as he stared outside the window for several seconds as they drove out of the cemetery before he replied lowly, "I…I don't have any. I was the only kitten, and my mother passed away shortly from cancer when I turned twenty-one years of age and was finishing my years in the Enforcer Academy. And I never knew my father. He abandoned my mother before I was born, so she raised me by herself as best as she could as a single parent."

"But…don't you have any other relatives you might want to talk to? To see before you…go?"

Jake's eyes turned misty as he gave Callie and Felina an tragic look for a long moment before he shook his head, whispering hoarsely, "I just did, Felina. I just said 'good-bye' to the only brother I ever had."

"Oh, Razor," murmured Callie under her breath as they drove back to the city.

000-

"So what are we going to do about Lockheed's…er, predicament?" Hank asked Dr. Sinian as both of them just gave the giant dragon a wary and contemplative glance. All the X-Men were in the heart of Megakat City, waiting patiently in Grand Megakat City Park for Jake to prepare his journey with them back to their world. Already, a large crowd of Enforcers and civilians were gathered around the green refuge, but Jake wouldn't have been in any real danger. Not only did Professor Xavier's powerful telepathy keep watch of any potential threats running within the murmuring crowds, but Commander Feral had declared on live television that the bounty for Jake's capture was withdrawn and declared null and void hours earlier. Felina told Jake that Ulysses owed him at least that.

Abi smiled as she gently stroked the white mane on Lockheed's head, gently fingering the wisps of hair with her paws as she stated, "I wouldn't fear much, Hank. The Pastmaster's magic has been completely abolished now that the Pastmaster is dead and trapped in the black-hole along with Dark Kat and En Sabah Nur, so it shall only be a matter of time when the spell wears off on Lockheed and he is returned back to normal. Since Lockheed himself is a mythological beast of magic and not a mortal creature, the time-energy shall be reversible."

"That is a true relief," smiled Hank as Lockheed purred at the touch of Abi stroking him, "I would certainly find it extremely disconcerting if our mansion had to accommodate a gigantic dragon as well as Jake."

Abi laughed before her face fell. She whispered with great regret, "I wish it didn't have to come to this, that we would have to see Jake off like this. It is as if a part of me shall leave with him, and I can barely stand it even though we have only grown close in such a short time."

"I know, but I promise we shall treat Jake like one of our own, and we shall all be there for him as his family and friends should he ever need us," Hank murmured with great devotion and assurance as he placed a giant paw on the curator's shoulder. After the battle, when Jake asked if it would be possible that he could come with the X-Men to their world, all of the students jumped at the chance and Jake found himself and the X-Elders under the pleading and begging puppy-eyed teenagers for Razor to join the team, to live with them. It was amazing how much the younger X-Men and the New Mutants grew to love and trust the vigilante kat, but after what Jake had endured to help them and save their lives, it was inevitable. Unquestionably, there were some acts in life that would lead to an eventual strong relationship of respect and fondness, and fighting a horde of evil criminals led by a powerful kat demigod was one of them. And the Professor X smiled as he said that if Jake truly wished for it, he would be automatically accepted as an honorary X-Man. The mutant adolescents cheered loudly enough to bring down the city as it was settled that Jake would become the newest instructor for the X-Mansion.

Of course, Razor wanted to get some things quickly settled before he would depart, and this certainly did not bring up any complaints, especially since the New Mutants found a way to pass the time until then…

"**_WHHHEEEEEEEEEEEE!_**" Bobby yelled as he and the other New Mutants rode around in the Aquain tank-submarine, constantly pressing various buttons on a whim and wrestling for control of the steering mechanisms, causing it swerve violently and crash into various objects as it went from the streets to the bay repeatedly, in some cases smashing through boats and buildings. And since they accidentally left the intercom on, everyone within the immediate five-mile radius could hear the general shouts, arguments, and comments booming from the vehicle's speakers.

"Hey, let me have the controls, Drake! You've driven this thing for long enough!" they could hear Sam protesting inside the Aquain.

"Hey, what does this button do?" they heard Roberto ask before the turbo-engines suddenly charged up, the exhaust flames actually turning blue, before the tank-submarine hybrid went into Mach-2 and tore through the streets (and several Behemoth tanks), leaving behind tread-tracks on the blacktops that were actually smoking and slightly on fire.

During this fiasco with many of the Enforcers and kats diving out of the path of the out-of-control vehicle, Jake and Felina were having their last talk. Jake had a threadbare gunny-sack slung over his shoulder, and in it were the few possessions he treasured so much and managed to recover from the home he and Chance had lived at for so long. It was painful, he had to admit, to revisit his haunts, but Jake also knew that it needed to be done. The female Lieutenant then handed Jake some rolled-up blueprints tied together with rubber-bands.

"Here," she said, "These were all of the blueprints the Enforcers collected as evidence from the hangar and garage where we searched your home after the last battle, and I know they would be the safest with you, especially since you worked long on these designs. All of them are here: the plans for the Turbokat jet, the Cyclotron, your glovatrix, the Aquain…"

"Aaaaaaahhh! Turn it off! **_Turn it off!_**" they heard Sam holler as the Aquain rushed past them again in a red and black blur, the engines still at Mach-2.

"What about any other copies the Enforcers might keep on their computers?" Jake asked wearily, ignoring the mindless yet mild destruction occurring, "It's not that I don't trust the Enforcers, but I'm worried that with them having these on public record, they could easily fall in the wrong hands, and the _last _thing your guys need are souped-up criminal syndicates."

_CRASH! BAM! SMASH!_

"Oops, hope that can be fixed!" Jamie groaned as the Aquain sped by them again.

Felina then gave a very mischievous and cunningly mysterious smile as she said, "Funny thing you should mention that. During the hustle and chaos of cleaning up the city after the war with Dark Kat, I had Dr. Hackle and Shadowcat 'inspect' the Enforcers' database systems. I reported suspicion that there may have been some attempts to hack into our network, and apparently I was right. The scans and diagnostics the Enforcers had on the SWAT Kats' weapons and vehicles for the past month had been erased due to some unforeseen circumstances."

Jake had to show a small smile of relief; Felina was so much like Chance in her mean streak.

KABOOM!

"Now look what you did, Ray!" Amara's voice snapped as the Aquain sped by them again, "You just blasted the Megakat City Museum where Dr. Sinian works at!"

"Hey, how was I supposed to know that the big, red button shoots out plasma torpedoes!" Ray shot back defensively.

"News flash: **anything** connected to a big red button is NOT a good thing, you dimwit!"

Felina gave a small chuckle before she turned her attention to Jake, her face serious, brooding, and glum.

"Are you sure about this, Jake?" she asked, "I mean, going to a whole new world, a whole dimension…it's a little extreme. And you really don't have to do something like this, Jake. It's possible that we can hide you away from the public and the criminal population, give you a new identity and enlist you under the Witness Protection Program. You could still live here in Megakat City, back at your old life as a junkyard kat, back with all of your friends and acquaintances without having to say good-bye to them forever. Jake, you don't have to run away like this."

Jake shook his head as he sighed, "I understand why you think that, Felina, but I also know that it really wouldn't be possible. My life can never be normal again, not after what I had endured for the past month. Every kat in the world knows who I am, and even if I did change my identity and life, I'd still be plastered as the hottest news-sensation and fallen celebrity for a very long time. I don't think I could ever get used to that, that I could ever stand that. It's one thing to do it to Razor…but it's another thing when it invades on Jake Clawson."

Jake paused a bit before he added thoughtfully, "And I can't stay here in the city, Felina. It's too painful, to be reminded of how much Chance and I gave for this city, and we lost everything because of it. No matter where I go, I'm reminded of Chance and how things used to be before we were outed…and it's too painful for me to possibly endure it. And this feeling of peace and goodwill towards me isn't going to last, Felina. Eventually, over time, some Enforcers might take it in their heads to arrest me and throw me in Alkatraz for the sake of looking good to the public, even though Callie managed to get all the charges cleared off the SWAT Kats. It wouldn't be too hard for kats to convince others that I'm a danger and a threat to public security, and the last thing I want is to have another social and political war be fought over my sake. And what would happen if some mob rings or previous criminals and convicts get it in their heads that they could seek their revenge on me for the troubles the SWAT Kats gave to them? I made a lot of enemies as a vigilante, Felina, and crooks never let these things pass. They may try to put another bounty on my head, they might even use you and Callie as a way to get to me, to hurt me, because they know how close I am to the both of you. I'm not willing to risk that, to risk the safety of you or Callie or Dr. Sinian or Dr. Hackle. At least with me in another dimension, I'm as good as gone and I'd be able to have some peace without needing to look over my shoulder every minute of my life."

Lieutenant Feral was silent, contemplative, as she shamefully stared at the ground; she didn't think about that.

"Like **wow**! This thing handles turns totally better than the limo and the X-Van! And look, I just broke the speedometer!" Kitty was heard exclaiming in delight as the Aquain swerved and tore across the streets at speeds rivaling the Concord jet as it phased through obstacles and buildings thanks to Kitty's mutant powers.

"**_WHY_ DID YOU LET KITTY TAKE THE WHEEL?**" Scott was screaming on the streets, red faced and wide-eyed, on a walkie-talkie that connected directly to the Aquain's radio transmission.

Ray cried out while the rest of the passengers were either cheering Kitty to go faster or screaming in fright for her to slow down (or both), "She threatened to phase through the Aquain's controls and short the tank out if we didn't let her have her turn! We're weak, Scott! We couldn't risk it and let her hurt this baby!"

"Kurt, teleport us to the tank-submarine before Kitty kills everyone on board!" Piotr commanded to the blue demon-like mutant as he, Rogue, and Remy held on to the teleporter, and with a puff, all of them vanished within a cloud of brimstone.

Jake then pushed gently, "Besides, I still own the city millions for the destruction of the old Enforcer headquarters that got me and Chance kicked out of the Enforcers in the first place. I doubt your Uncle will still want to let that slide. At least this way, I can kinda do a little tax-evasion."

"**AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!**" screamed Rogue, Kurt, Remy, and Piotr in dread and at the top of their lungs as they rushed by, holding on for dear life _on top_ of the tank, with Kurt unable to directly teleport them inside a rapidly moving vehicle.

"Kitty, let us in, you motor-maniac yahoo!" yelled Rogue as she tried to punch her way through the submarine hatch, only to experience, to her complete surprise, a very painful sensation on her knuckles. She couldn't even make a dent on the metallic surface.

Felina turned her attention back to the SWAT Kat in front of her as she whispered, "For what it's worth, Jake…the Commander is a good kat, a noble kat. He…he just makes mistakes."

Jake frowned as he glared a little at Felina for bringing it up. As much as he respected that Felina would always be loyal to her Uncle and that, when it came right down to the basics, Feral was ultimately on the side of good, the same side T-Bone and Razor fought for without fear or without losing hope and enthusiasm…Jake would never forgive Ulysses Feral for what he did to him, for what he did to Chance.

"The problem with that, Felina, is that his mistakes were too costly, and me and Chance paid the price for it." Jake was amazed how bitter and venomous his voice was, but Felina just looked at Jake without offense as she nodded.

"Kitty, will you quit it? Let go! OW!" yelled Kurt over the Aquain transmission. It was apparent that one of the New Mutants was able to open the hatch and let Rogue, Remy, Piotr, and Kurt scrabble inside before it dove into the water, making a considerable tidal wave in the process and drenching everyone a block away.

"I'll miss you, Jake," she finished weakly, her eyes watering and her tail twitching nervously. Jake immediately abandoned his hard feelings, knowing that the Lieutenant wouldn't want their farewell to be simmering with resentment underneath, and the SWAT Kat's heart broke as he hugged Felina as hard as he could, feeling her body shudder. Upon seeing this, several other kats in the crowd (at least the ones that weren't ducking for cover and cowering from Kitty Pryde's hellish driving skills) started to make their way to Jake to offer their sympathies and thanks and farewells.

Lieutenant Steele came up, a bit shamefaced and shy at humbling himself, but he gave Jake a sincere smile of warmth and gratitude as he offered his paw, saying, "I…I know we weren't exactly the best of friends, and I was pretty much a cowardly butt-wipe, but…thank you, Jake. If anything, you and Chance deserve to be Lieutenants of the Enforcers instead of me."

Jake was touched at the truthful insight of the once-pompous Enforcer as he firmly grasped Steele's paw and shook heartily, letting the Lieutenant know that Jake didn't have any hard feelings of the sort towards him. Steele smiled again as he withdrew and stood next to Felina who gave him a scrutinizing look of appraisal.

"That was pretty cool of you to admit it, Steele," she murmured, smiling, "Never thought I'd see the day to witness you willingly admit how much of an intolerable and incompetent prick you were before."

Steele smiled ruefully; it was hard to deny that it was the truth. He sighed, crossing his arms over his chest, "After what happened to Snow, making the Commander's position doesn't really seem as important anymore."

"How did Snow's wife take it?"

Steele's eyes went solemn as he answered, "I followed the procedure and delivered his uniform along with his badge and gun to Mrs. Snow. She was pretty devastated when she saw me at the front porch holding her husband's apparel, but I told her what really happened and how he saved my life and how I knew I could never repay him back for taking the bullet for me. She was still heartbroken…but I think the thought of her husband doing something noble before he died kind of eased the sadness a bit. And she didn't blame me, God bless her. In fact, she was more worried about me, how I was feeling guilty for getting Snow killed."

Felina then said, "It wasn't your fault, Steele. Snow knew what he was doing, and in the end, you, Lockheed, and Boom-Boom managed to avenge his death by stopping the Pastmaster."

"NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!" they heard Kitty screaming as the tank flew out of the water and whizzed by them for the umpteenth time, nearly whining like a baby over the speakers.

"Remy got her! Grab her feet while Remy pries her fingers loose from the controls!"

"Like let go! I'm not done yet! It's still like totally my turn!"

Steele nodded sadly after he watched the Aquain tank-submarine zoom by, but he then said to Felina, "Also, Felina…I want to let you know I turned in my resignation today. In two weeks, I'm resigning from the Enforcers and you'll be the second-in-command for the Commander of the Enforcers. Let's face it: I'm not much of an Enforcer and after what happened today, if any kat deserves to be the next Commander, it's you."

Felina's eyes went soft as she then began to see Steele in a whole new light as she then gave a friendly sock to the kat on the arm, giggling, "You little punk-ass, you know how much I'm gonna miss seeing you at Headquarters again. But…what are you going to do?"

"I dunno…I guess that's the exciting part," Steele grinned as he winced, rubbing the sore spot on his arm.

"Oh boy, Jake's gonna kill us when he sees this one!" Piotr groaned as his voice rose and fell as the Aquain barreled by.

Dr. Sinian sighed, closing her eyes to prevent herself from crying as she hugged Jake tenderly, whispering, "I shall never forget you, Jake. And I shall see to it that the stories about you and Chance are never disfigured and twisted into obscurity. After all, like a philosopher once said, 'those who forget the past are doomed to repeat it', so I shall chronicle your escapades as the SWAT Kats in the Megakat City Museum with much accurate detail and remain faithful to the truth. I'll see to it that our kittens and our kitten's kittens shall never forget the real reason the SWAT Kats emerged, how they fought for this city and gave us hope, and how they and the X-Men defeated Dark Kat once and for all. I promise I shall see to it that neither you nor Chance are ever forgotten, and your legacy shall be forever engraved in history as the bravest and most virtuous vigilantes the world has ever known."

Jake smiled at this as he nodded his approval.

"Wow, good thing there was a fire extinguisher on board!" Tabitha was heard saying as the Aquain tank-submarine now rushed by with, not surprisingly to the X-Men elders, several dying plumes of smoke emanating from the open hatch and turret.

"Oh dear," murmured Abi, rolling her eyes at the New Mutants' escapade. Dr. Hackle then leaned over to Jake and whispered in the kat's ear, "_Shalom_, Jacob. May you find the peace and happiness you were denied of for so long."

Touched by the simple prayer, Jake sniffed, feeling his eyes well up, and like a true grandfather, Dr. Hackle just brushed aside some of the wet streaks on Jake's cheeks with a frail, wrinkled paw, smiling his blessings as he said, "And you do not need to worry about the city, Jacob. Along with the Enforcers, Felina has requested for the Cybertron 1 and Cybertron 2 robots to be out for full patrol of the town. They'll help keep the civilians safe. But…are you sure about this, Jacob? After all, being an instructor and guardian of hyperactive, mutant adolescents is a far different flavor from being a maverick of the law."

Jake pondered this as he head another explosion ring out from the Aquain followed by Ulysses Feral throwing an absolute fit, jumping up and down on the street next to a now unidentifiable piece of flaming wreckage, twisted metal and burnt rubber.

"My car!" they heard Commander Feral screaming in the background, "**_That little punk blew up my car!_**"

"It was an accident!" called out Bobby as they passed by the Commander, but judging that his tone was mockingly in a sing-song manner, anyone with ears and a brain could tell that the turret-blast was _anything but_ accidental.

Jake smiled, his eyes twinkling a bit, as he turned to the professor and said, "At least it won't be dull, Dr. Hackle, and as much as I try to deny it…these kids are beginning to grow on me."

Dr. Hackle nodded as he stepped aside as Pop Perkins, an elderly dark-gray kat with glasses and a white mustache ambled over to Jake, his eyes full of honor and sorrow. Jake remembered Pop; he was a comic-book retailer who knew Chance ever since childhood, and the senior kat always said with pride that Chance would make something of himself, that Chance would change the world for the better. Little did Pop Perkins realize how much he was right. Pop was crying as he hugged Jake with a tight bear-hug around the lean kat's waist.

"I always knew Chance was a good kat, truly one-of-a-kind," sniffed Pop as he released his hold, "I'm sorry to see him go like that. Jake, if anything, Chance has told me about you, how he was always so full of happiness and joy whenever he mentioned you and how much you changed him, how much being his best friend meant to him, gave him purpose. You were the best thing for Chance to happen for a while, Jake, and if anything, you still are. Do what Chance would have wanted you to, Jake. Do it for Chance."

"I will Pop, and thanks," Jake replied.

Ann Gora and Johnny K. then came up to Jake, with Ann looking remorseful for her part in the mud-slinging of Jake and Chance. Johnny held out his paw and shook Jake's warmly, his eyes sad yet accepting and full of the utmost respect. Johnny would always be grateful for what Razor and T-Bone did for them and for that, Johnny pledged his undying loyalty.

"Take care, man," Johnny said.

Ann then shook a bit in apprehension as she whispered, "And Jake…I'm sorry. For everything I said and reported about you and Chance for the last month. I was being so wrapped up in my career and the excitement of reporting a hot story…I forgot what it truly meant to be a reporter of the news and truth. It took a friend to help me realize that."

Johnny turned red as Ann then continued, "I don't expect you to forgive me…but I regret what I did to you. And you don't have to worry about the news footage of today. No one except those in the city will know where you and the X-Men have gone, and I'm not going to report it. In fact, I had Amara burn all the copies of the footage we shot today. If anything, I want to respect your privacy this time, Jake, and keep what happens about your life now secret. No one's going to track you down and go dimension-hopping and no kat will know the truth about what Dark Kat really intended for the city and the world. I even turned down the offer to the KNN network…so that I could make sure no other tabloid or news station in Megakat City will tarnish the name of the SWAT Kats. But it won't ever make up for what I did to you. I…I'm so sorry, Jake."

Tears were spilling out of Ann's eyes, but Jake showed he had to hatred for the reporter as he gave her a gentle hug, replying with some ease, "What's done is done, Ann. Just be careful."

Ann sniffed, smiling at the offer for redemption, as she stepped aside and gave Jake a peck on the cheek before stepping back and stood side by side with her camera-kat.

"You sure about this, Ann?" Johnny asked his friend, a bit puzzled and concerned, "I mean, giving up that KNN position must've been hard. I…I know it meant a lot to you."

Ann then smiled delicately, for the first time not bothered about appearances, as she took Johnny's paw into her own, startling even herself.

"I think I've found something that means a lot more," she said quietly.

Johnny's eyes went wide before his entire face, including his ears, turned a soft red as he blushed, touched and infinitely happy.

Jake then spotted the next kat who wanted to say good-bye to him and, to his shock, it was Murray, the junkyard kat who shared the salvage yard with Chance and Jake and was also a dump-truck operator for Megakat City maintenance. In the past, Burke and his friend Murray would self-righteously annoy Chance and Jake to no ends, finding any way to torture and tease them maliciously for their fallout from the Enforcers. Yet it was a bit odd to see Murray only by himself without his best friend.

"What happened to Burke?" Jake asked.

Murray looked a bit glum as he whispered, "He didn't make it. Got killed in the last battle with Dark Kat a month ago."

Jake didn't know how to feel about that. Certainly, Burke was an annoying, malicious dirtball who couldn't have his brain keep up with his mouth, but Jake knew no innocent civilian deserved that type of death.

"I'm sorry," Jake said softly. It was the best of a sincere statement he could come up with, especially since Burke was never well liked by either of the ex-Enforcers. Yet Murray's face lifted slightly, as if those two words were enough to ease his suffering, and he patted Jake as well as he could on the shoulder.

"Don't be. You got Dark Kat, and I know Burke's happy about that, Clawson. Jus'…jus' take care of yourself along with those X-Men freaks, all right?"

"I will," Jake replied in a distant tone. Yet then his eyes stopped as he then saw the last kat he wanted to see standing directly in front of him. It was Commander Ulysses Feral. The entire crowd all around them held their breath as Jake balled his paws into fists, his breathing being a bit labored, as he glared at the large, burly kat. Feral met the glare before sighing, crossing his arms.

"Running away from your messes as usual, Clawson?"

Jake literally had to force himself not to punch Feral out right then and there as he hissed, "Want the last word, huh, Feral? Well, take it! You out of all kats should be leaping for joy at the fact that I'm going to be gone for good!"

Feral knew that it would be a long time before Jake could be able to remember the Commander without some hatred, but he knew it was no less than what he deserved as he said simply, "Apologies aren't my thing, Clawson. Just so we're clear. I don't regret giving the order for the sniper to take the shot, I don't regret thinking you had joined with Dark Kat, and I certainly don't regret in changing my opinion that you and T-Bone have given this city more trouble than aid…"

Feral paused, noticing how the entire audience of kats were staring hatefully at him, before he then said the most sincerest tribute he could ever force himself to make.

"…but if anything, Furlong was a good kat. One of the best. He would have been a hell of an Enforcer. And the same goes for you, Clawson."

Jake sullenly looked to the side with mixed feelings before he muttered, "It doesn't bring back Chance, Feral."

Feral nodded, replying shortly, "I know."

But in a surprising and unexpected act of humility, Commander Ulysses Feral stood at full attention before he saluted to the SWAT Kat in front of him, his face emotionless and his movement sharp and coordinated, showing his respect to Jake, a bit begrudgingly. Jake was a bit taken aback from the salute, but at least he stopped frowning.

Jake then turned his attention back to the X-Men as he slung his pack over his shoulder. The rest of the mutant team were gawking at the Aquain as the kids clambered out of the hatch (and in Kitty's case, was carried out, kicking and screaming). It was indeed something to deem as noteworthy. Despite having to endure the merciless handling of hyperactive mutant teenagers with dangerous senses of recklessness and foolhardiness, the Aquain hybrid-vehicle was still pretty much intact, pristine and fully functional. The dents and scratches on the outer surface were barely noticeable and the tank-submarine seemed ready to go through another round.

"Oh my goodness!" gasped Ororo.

"Oh my stars and garters!" gasped Hank.

"Whoa!" gasped Jean, "After all the abuse it took, it still looks as good as new!"

Charles Xavier then gave Jake a very wide and appreciative smile, saying, "I think we certainly **_can_** use your mechanical talents, Jake."

"Good," Jake smiled as Forge opened the portal with the fully functional alternator in his hand, letting it grow to be as wide as a football field, and allowing Lockheed to jump in first, dragging the Aquain with him due to the insistence of the New Mutants. While the X-Men were stepping through the window that would deliver them back home, Jake turned to see Callie Briggs standing there apart from the crowd , her face streaked with tears. Jake dropped his sack and opened his arms in a final gesture of comfort. Choking, Callie sprinted towards Jake and allowed herself to be enveloped into his strong, lean arms as she embraced Jake Clawson for what would be the last time.

"Good-bye, Callie," whispered Jake as he hugged the female calico kat with all of his sorrow and pain. Callie didn't bother restraining herself as she wept, but whether she was weeping for the loss of Chance or the loss of Jake, she could not say. Her paws dug into Jake's broad shoulders, as if she was afraid of letting go of him. Jake then smiled grimly as he took out an object from his sack.

"Here, take this," he whispered as he placed something heavy into Callie's paws, "I figured you could use this more than I could. And Chance would have wanted you to have it."

Callie sniffed as she looked at the gift Jake bequeathed to her. It was a photo inside a simple, slightly tarnished silver picture-frame, plain yet clean and without a speck of dust on the glass. Inside was a photo of Jake, Chance, and Callie all smiling next to her green sedan that she brought over to their garage to be worked on for the umpteenth time, and as a joke, Chance suggested they commemorate the visit with a photo to remember their best customer. Jake and Chance were both in their garage coveralls and red baseball caps, their faces and paws smeared with grease and oil, yet Callie was hugging the both of them around their necks without fear of getting dirty, laughing behind her glasses, and all three kats were smiling with great joy and peace in the photo, a sure memory of their close friendship and the times they saved her and the hundreds of others of Megakat City from evil.

"Oh Razor…" Callie choked, her voice unable to finish the rest of her sentence, as she began to cry again, and Jake knew that the photo meant more to her than anything from the way she cradled it delicately to her chest like a baby kitten. The brown kat then gave Callie a final hug before kissing her chastely on the cheek. Jake Clawson then turned around and hefted his luggage over his shoulder before approaching the portal under the watchful and morbid gazes of everyone all around. The rest of the X-Men and Lockheed had managed to go into the portal leading them back into their world and took the Aquain along with them. The only ones left were the Professor, Logan, and Forge who was still maintaining the opening of time and space with the alternator.

"I'm ready," Jake whispered, his voice shaking. God, this was harder than he previously thought.

"You sure about this, hairball?" Logan asked gruffly, knowing that this found be either now or never. It was funny; no matter how times he was asked that, Jake could never say a definite "yes".

"No…but I'm going to do it anyway." Satisfied with that as a final answer, the four of them turned their attention to the temporary rift.

"Jake!" Callie cried out desperately, her eyes streaming, hoping to convince her friend one last time, "Please, don't go! **Please!** You don't have to do this! There's nothing for you there!"

Jake then turned back to give her a look of sorrow and resigned acceptance of misery, his eyes forever pained at the way he was going to hurt Callie. He said softly in response so that only those close to the portal could hear.

"There's nothing for me here either."

With that, Jake, Logan, Forge and Professor Xavier stepped through the purple swirling portal before it closed with final absolution behind them, disappearing with a small wisp of purple light and smoke.

Jake was gone from Megakat City. Forever. And all that could be heard was Callie's uncontrollable sobbing as the final strings connecting the former SWAT Kat to Megakat City and his world were severed permanently.

000-

Chance Furlong felt himself floating upwards as he finished observing the scene of Jake leaving with the X-Men with a heavy heart. He knew how unfair it was to both himself and his buddy to suffer like this, but at the same time, Chance smiled through the tears pouring down his blue eyes even though he couldn't feel his pupils stinging from the crying.

"Ya' did good, ol' buddy," he whispered softly, approvingly, as if he knew Jake could hear him, "Ya' did good. But until you're done watching over those tykes…live, Jake. Live."

Chance then felt himself walking on fresh grass and dirt, riddled with perfumed, colorful flowers underneath the warm sun and crystal-clear skies, his body so light he practically felt like walking on the moon as he walked towards the light. There were kats waiting for him in the distance, all of them being innocent souls freed from Dark Kat and En Sabah Nur's prayer stones after both of the evil creatures were engulfed by the black hole. Thanks to Razor and the X-Men, all of them were liberated, set free to…wherever the heck they were and spared from the fate that were bestowed upon the Invincible Alliance of Evil and their master for their sins. Chance felt himself warmly welcomed with open arms by many Enforcers, male and female, as they shook his paws and patted him comfortingly on the back. Some of the officers even saluted Chance to show him their utmost respect. The grizzled Lieutenant Snow wrapped his arms around Chance's muscular, broad frame in a bear hug, laughing. Mayor Manx had tears in his eyes as he gave the tomcat a thumbs-up sign, grinning.

Yet then there was one last figure, shrouded by the shadows cast by the soothing light radiating behind him, walking towards the SWAT Kat directly in front. The crowd respectfully parted ways, like Moses did to the Red Sea, as Chance felt his heart fill so much with joy, he thought it would burst, as he felt himself grow smaller and smaller, shrinking in height and size, until he was a small kitten, wide-eyed and completely innocent as he looked up happily at the figure now in front of him.

His father smiled as he scooped up the toddler Chance in his arms, planting a kiss on his son's forehead, his breath warm and sweet.

"I'm so proud of you, Chance," he murmured lovingly.

And with that, his father happily spun Chance in his arms as he twirled around and around to the amusement of the kats watching him. Chance closed his eyes and squealed and laughed with excitement, feeling like he was in the wings of the Turbokat again. And as his father spun him around and around, Chance knew that eventually, after a long and fulfilling life, Callie, Felina, and Jake would be reunited with him once again forever.

**Author's Notes: There WILL be one more chapter after this! Next Friday in "A New Life", we'll get a glimpse of how Jake is adjusting to his new role in the X-Men, but trust me folks, this isn't your normal conclusion! If anything, it's not the end but only the beginning! You'll see what I mean! Until then, read and review! Constructive criticism welcome!**


	10. A New Life

**CHAPTER 10: A New Life**

"Hmph, this is certainly a turn of surprising events," remarked a cloaked figure impassively as he and a group of similarly black-robed figures stood by with hidden and growing interest, watching the scene of Jake and the X-Men returning back to the planet Earth of the third dimension, the reality of humans and mutants. He and his companions were all standing in a non-descript yet wide room of colorless, clean marble, silver and stone, so white it was almost sterile. Aside from a few objects, the only thing in the room that was abnormal was an actual fountain of crystal-clear water erected in the very center of the emotionless chamber. The monument was made of cold stone and fire, the rock blacker than obsidian and night and was intricately carved to depict a gruesome myriad of beasts in contorted shapes of agony and macabre, all of them embracing a giant emblem that suspiciously appeared to be a red heart with a barbed "X" through it. Yet the waters that streamed and pooled to the bottom from the mouths and eyes of the engraved figures of the rock acted as a scrying and divination medium for the group to observe and watch the mutant team as it pooled into a gigantic basin at the base of the fountain. Some of the figures were hooded, others were not, revealing human faces both of young and old, yet all hardened by battle and the corruption of darkness and light. Each and every one of them wore black robes along with black gloves made of the purest and finest cloth while etched with shiny metal straps and zippers, and also like the man who commented earlier, each one of the hooded figures bore a unique weapon.

"So now the third dimension of the mutant world of planet Earth had managed to break the sacred boundaries," one strapping man with short dark-brown hair commented, holding a yellow and black broad-sword in one arm, carefully hefting it on his right shoulder, "Once again, I must admit I am thoroughly surprised that these mutants show promise."

"You gotta be kidding me!" snarled a blond-haired girl, her cheeks turning crimson with outraged gall and extreme disappointment, her fingers clenched tightly around her yellow throwing daggers, "There is no way this sorry world could be where the Gathering's to take place! I mean, the door to the Light surely can find a more promising location than this pathetic and chaotic realm! Look at the pitiful shape it's in right now! Hate is rampant, bigotry and hypocrisy is everywhere you turn, and the human race is by far the most evil of all life-forms I've ever seen and witnessed! They enjoy causing others to suffer, they worship the philosophies of greed and avarice and power, and any idiot can see it's only going to get worse! There cannot be any possible way the door to the Light can be found in this world! It is far too corrupt for anything of the like!"

"I disagree, Larxene," another boy commented, his hood lowered enough to show his dark hair and thin face with narrowed eyes, "The Superior had told us Ansem believed that where there is great darkness, there shall also be great light deep within. The little oversight of such a fact had caused him to perish in body when that damned boy sealed Kingdom Hearts along with his friends by calling forth on the light and stopping the World of Chaos."

"Ansem was a fool, Zexion!" Larxene snapped back impatiently.

"Hold your tongue, impudent girl! The Superior would have your head for such disrespect!" snapped another figure, his hood up and cloaking his face in the shadows.

"And keep in mind, Larxene," a sallow-faced, square-jawed man with pale skin and long, flax, pastel-colored hair clarified, carrying a blue, spiked shield of ice, "Earth is not a single world, but a planet _made up of_ different worlds, all intermingling with their own separate yet penetrable boundaries of their own. To spot such a globe of nature to house many realities and worlds at once is by far uncanny, and as such, if the door to Kingdom Hearts is to ever reappear again, this _would_ be a likely place, especially since our residents have managed to break the boundaries _outside_ of the planet."

"Still, it is strange to think that these mutants could be the possible saviors and champions of this planet, Vexen" commented the man with the broad-sword, his eyes narrowing, "They are mere children. If the Sovereign and the Champion were to be one of the other, more-powerful residents such as Superman, Spawn, Hellboy or even Batman and the soulful-vampire, Angel…**that** I can believe. But the X-Men? It is certainly a development I could not expect."

"Well, who else could it be?" pointed out the man with the spiked shield.

"Still, we must remain vigilant in our search and find the door before the damned Chosen ones are discovered by that infernal mutt, and if Earth shows such promise, it would not do harm to keep a close eye on it like we are doing with the rest of the worlds we have suspected," a figure with wild, long brown hair remarked as he turned from his viewing of the fountain, hefting his pink-and-green flower scythe as he walked away from the organization.

"And where exactly are you going, Marluxia?" one hooded, enigmatic man asked offhandedly.

The man with the scythe simply replied smoothly, "The Superior would like to know our efforts and what we had just witnessed. After all, it is of the Organization's best interests if we anticipate this possibility and seek outside forces to deal with these potential X-Men and any more of their kind."

"Well, I for one hope it **is** this planet," sneered a wild, slightly psychotic figure with spiky, red hair as he habitually twirled his spiked set of twin chakram, "I could certainly use a little fun with the X-Men, especially that one telekinetic called Jean Grey! By my element, she certainly is a fiery one to deal with, and I wouldn't mind seeing how much of a firebird she would be!"

"Word of warning, Axel," Marluxia growled, "The Superior certainly would not appreciate it if our plans were revealed any sooner than necessary, and should the Gathering take place here, it would be best to send our troops on Earth to eliminate the Chosen ones while harvesting enough resources for our ultimate goal."

Axel looked incredibly belligerent and rebelliously offended, but he simply glared at Marluxia's back while keeping his mouth shut. And with that, the discussion ended between the Organization as the shadows grew all around the room and concealed the cloaked figures as the fire and light from the fountain faded into nothingness, extinguishing the scrying session.

000-

At the X-Mansion, it had been two weeks since Jake had moved in as an instructor…

"Spider missiles…AWAY!" yelled Jamie gleefully as he tested out his brand-new, personal glovatrix inside the living room, firing a steel-mesh net connected to a ring of five miniature missiles.

KAWHOOOOOOSSSSSSSHHHOOOOOOOOMMMM!

_Bam!_

"Jamie!" screamed Ray in anger as he was now pinned against the wall thanks to the spider-net, "When I get out of here, I'm gonna kill you!"

…and life at the X-Mansion couldn't have gotten more hectic. Rogue was attempting to hurt Remy again for accidentally scratching her personal Harley motorcycle, chasing the terrified Cajun mutant with a wrench in one hand all over the garden and saying words that would even make a pro-wrestler wince. Scott and Jean were hunting down Bobby Drake to get hold of the negative and pictures he took of the couple during their date two nights ago, and both of the mature yet furious mutants were searching high and low for the ice-generating mutant teen. Roberto and Piotr were cleaning up the living room as punishment for accidentally breaking the TV in the den when the two violently quarreled over a game of _Halo_ the night before…and the _XBOX_ console **still** couldn't be dislodged from being stuck from the ceiling. Sam was chasing down Lockheed, trying to stop the dragon (who was now back to his infant size thankfully) from making off with his book report due tomorrow in Beast's class and using it as a chew toy. Forge was putting out his second fire of the day in his laboratory after grabbing it from Tabitha and Amara who were planning to bash Bobby's head in with it for "accidentally" photocopying embarrassing highlights of their diaries and scanning them onto the Internet. Everyone else steered clear of the kitchen as Kitty was trying to find a guinea pig (or a poor soul) to try her newest batch of muffins from the oven which were suspiciously the color of lime-green and smelled like rotten garlic.

"So how are things going so far?" sighed Charles Xavier in his personal office with Ororo and Hank standing next to his mahogany desk for their weekly staff meeting, and noticeably absent were Logan, Jean, and Scott, though not without good reason.

"Same old, same old," said Hank wearily as he took of sip from his tumbler of gin and tonic, feeling the sudden urge to swallow it with a couple of aspirin for his tension headache as he heard another explosion ring through the halls followed by Amara and Tabitha screaming.

"Drake, come back here and die!" screamed Amara as Bobby sprinted past the open doorway, dodging fireballs in a frenzied panic and hollering for mercy.

Ororo rubbed her sore eyes as she commented, "It is highly strange, though. I was a bit worried that with Jake trying to adjust to his new life her in this world, staying at the X-Mansion may not be the healthiest way for him to cope and deal with his past grief and issues…"

"Microwave missiles…AWAY!" Kurt was heard cheering as the blue mutant tried out **his** glovatrix.

KAWHOOSH!

"Cool, Kurt! You actually caused the windows to melt! I've never seen liquid glass run like that!" exclaimed Forge excitedly from the den.

"…and yet, if anything, it hardly seems to faze Jake. If anything, he's adjusting **_too_** well. He loves the students so much that I have yet to see him lose his temper at them. I'm astounded that he hasn't even raised his voice at them once, even after Sam and Ray accidentally singed his whiskers off with the blowtorch several days ago when they were reconstructing the engines on the Blackbird."

"Well, his therapy sessions with me are helping somewhat," the Professor offered as he refilled his brandy glass, "but I can agree with your uneasiness and anxiety for young Clawson. He has been through so much, too much for anyone to bear let alone live with for the rest of his natural life. And I can sense the state of his mind, how much healing and contact he truly needs before he can comfortably move on. I would say he is dangerously on the borderline of severe depression, but if anything, life here at the mansion could possibly be the best thing he needs, better than anything his home world at Megakat City. Being an instructor and a role model to the children has given him a sense of purpose, one that is quite different from being a vigilante cockpit fighter and jet pilot hero."

"It's quite ironic, wouldn't you say?" Hank mused as he traced the rim of his cup, "Before, Jake was a vigilante, a lone anomaly and wild card in the politics of law and order. And now, he is actually teaching a class of _mutant teenagers_ to be vigilantes exactly like he and Chance were once before. This is a true case of passing down the SWAT Kat legacy to the younger generation, and I can confess that I would certainly have been the last one to willingly hire a maverick of the law to teach our students without some reluctance."

"Like, slicer missiles…AWAY!" Kitty yelled excitedly from the hall.

A second later…

"**_HALF-PINT! MY HAIR!_**" screamed Logan from the bottom of the stairs.

"Oops, like sorry, Mr. Logan! I was so not aiming for you!" Kitty gasped apologetically.

"**_LOOK WHAT YOU DID TO MY HAIR!_**" Logan continued to holler.

"Um…on the upside, only half of your head is like totally bald. Uh…heh, heh…I love you, Mr. Logan," the adults heard Kitty meekly offer, gulping before she phased through the floor, avoiding certain death by mere inches.

"Scott and Jean don't seem to think so. They love the fact that they have another instructor and member of the personnel to help them out with the duties of classes and staff…especially since Jake is the only one among us who is actually **willing** to give Kitty and the others their driving lessons," Xavier said, smiling and chuckling a bit. He remembered how in the first week, when it was time for Kitty and Bobby to have their weekly driving practice for their awaited-licenses, Scott and Jean tricked Jake into being the designated adult for the two wild teenagers for that day, desperate to avoid the brutal torture. Yet to everyone complete astonishment and bewilderment, Jake was actually a bit cheerful when the lessons ended and asked if he could be the official driving instructor for the mansion, especially since he wasn't the least bit intimidated by Kitty and Bobby's driving habits and remarked how after flying in a jet for so many years, Kitty and Bobby's daredevil and maniac driving was a walk in the park. In fact, Jake praised Kitty and Bobby for driving exactly the way Chance did with their Turbokat.

Jean actually started crying with joy when she heard that, and the X-Men adults couldn't stop thanking Jake enough. Logan even went down on his knees as he hugged the kat around his legs (Ray actually managed to get a picture of that with his camera before Wolverine started chasing him).

Xavier continued, "I just hope Jake will grow to trust us fully in time. He does like living here and he can see we are sincere and dedicated to our beliefs and our goal for the Institute, but it would be foolish to think that he would automatically commit his life with us, even though we are giving him food and shelter. But that is to be expected. Trust and faith take time, after all. And with Chance gone, it is up to all of us to help Jake with that."

Then there was a sudden eruption of chaos and breaking objects as Jake and Logan's angry voices rang through the kitchen downstairs, their tones so blaring that it was nearly in the decibel proportions.

"**_WHAT THE HELL DO YOU THINK YOU'RE DOING, YOU HAIRBALL?_**" bellowed Logan, his voice shaking with shocked outrage.

"What does it look like, Logan? I'm having a drink!" Jake shot back heatedly.

"Over my dead body, you will, punk! That's the last beer in the fridge! Hell, that was **my** beer in the fridge!"

"Hey, I had just finished teaching three engineering classes in a row full of eager students who caused three explosions and broke two windows and somehow managed to solder my chair with metal to the chalkboard! And that was _before_ I tried Kitty's experimental 'Tuna-Surprise'! Since I just finished drinking what was left of the Pepto-Bismol in the infirmary, I need this beer more than you!"

"Let's get one thing straight, punk!" Logan could be heard snarling, "Any beer in the fridge was bought with **my** own money and is thus, under **my** property! It's mine, not yours! And for God's sake, did you have to ruin a potentially good brewski by mixing it with **MILK**?"

"Hey, it's what I'm used to back home! And if you don't like it, tough flea-collars!"

"Finish that beer and you're dead meat, bub!"

"I don't see your name on it, so stop whining and get over it, old man!"

SNIKT! The adults could hear Wolverine's adamantium claws pop out in warning.

"Come over here, and I'll give you something to whine about, hairball!"

"Make me, baldy!" snapped Jake, and with that, the sounds of the fight intensified by more than ten-fold, curses, insults, and punches thrown about as carelessly and effortlessly as confetti in the wind.

Xavier winced as he sighed at the wanton destruction and tussle, saying, "Well, _almost _all of us."

Ororo smiled as she stated, "Still, it is not as it would appear to be, Charles. Even though Logan would deny it until the day he dies, he actually has a lot more respect and affection for Jake than he would ever be willing to admit openly."

"So do the other students and X-Men," Hank emphasized as he sipped his drink with his oversized elbows on the Professor's desk

Hank had indeed spoken the truth. All the adults could have seen how quickly Jake was accepted and trusted by the younger X-Men. It wasn't easy to overcome his apprehension and nervousness when he was still learning the interesting similarities and quirks of the human-universe, but Jake was adjusting steadily enough. The New Mutants attended his engineering and science classes with interest (Bobby had yet to fall asleep once), especially since Jake was more practical than theory and taught the students first-hand how to properly examine a jet, how to fix a motorcycle, how to take apart and reassemble an engine in minutes, and even how to build their own glovatrix weapons from scratch. In fact, the last one was the most popular project. It wasn't long before all of the X-Men, including the hard-core ones such as Scott and Rogue, were testing out their new glove-apparatuses and copying the SWAT Kats (and this brought several new holes in the walls and the front lawn).

And despite being older, Jake always treated the kids with respect and as equals, never once patronizing them and being warm, protective, yet openly compassionate and caring. Logan and Ororo were especially pleased to see some of the students seek Jake for counsel, for a tender ear, and for a person to talk to during their bad days. If one of the students needed a partner to play _Tekken_ on the PS2 console, Jake would join in without any hesitation or fear of appearing too childish. If one of the guys wanted a partner to lift weights or play poker, Jake would drop what he was doing and step in. If one of the girls wanted to talk about the latest fashion or the latest development from the last episode of _Lost_ or _Desperate Housewives_, Jake would smile and give his undivided attention regardless of how trivial or stupid it would be. In fact, Jake was more of a brother than an instructor to the students. He grew especially close to Jamie, Kurt, Jean and Scott, and Sam, Tabitha, and Amara also grew incredibly and exceptionally fond of their new instructor. It wasn't surprising, considering that without Jake's help, Sam and Amara would have died from their wounds after the battle with the Enforcers in Megakat City. Even Lockheed noticeably treated Jake differently from the other X-Boys, particularly since Jake would discreetly offer scraps and morsels of his dinner to the pet dragon under the table when no one was looking.

Yet what warmed up Jake the most to the X-Men was when Kurt and Jamie showed Jake the "SWAT Kats: the Radical Squadron" DVDs they ordered from the internet-store, Amazon. Jake was especially curious to see the cartoon-series and how his life and Chance's life were played out. At first, it became a simple movie night, just Kurt, Jamie, and Jake sharing popcorn and sodas while watching the adventures of Razor and T-Bone in Megakat City. Then Roberto and Bobby got interested along with Amara and Tabitha. Jean and Scott actually then decided to take a rain-check on their teaching-preparations for the next week (a miracle upon itself for the two perfectionists) as they joined on the couch, despite them being a bit too old for cartoons. Remy surprisingly stopped pestering Rogue with his unwelcome advances when he saw the kids watching the SWAT Kats on TV, and curious, Rogue also joined in. Then Kitty and Piotr. And the rest of the New Mutants and X-Men. Lockheed was soon welcomed into the bunch, resting on Kitty's lap while he flicked his tongue at the cartoon with curious interest, nibbling on his share of caramel corn. Even Hank, Ororo, Forge, Professor Xavier and Logan joined in, and the entire family laughed and keenly watched the series unfold, showing them the depth of Jake and Chance's lives along with the lives of Callie Briggs, Commander Feral, Felina, Abi and Dr. Hackle. Jake had to admit it was strange and entertaining to see the scenes again (though not without some pain and guilt). And the X-Men grew to be enthralled with the brown, furry, anthropomorphic cat, almost viewing Jake as a famous celebrity.

Storm was right. Jake was appearing to adjust to life as an X-Man well. And later that very day after the staff meeting…

"So what do you think, Jake?" Jean asked as she smiled in anticipation. Jean and the rest of the X-Men, including Professor Xavier, were in the Danger Room, watching Jake try on his brand-new X-Men apparel custom-made just for him.

Jake Clawson looked in the wide-mirror at his X-Man uniform. It was basically a modified pilot G-suit exactly his size, but the material was specialized polymer-spandex along with hidden, inflatable bladders around the chest area to constrict the body from G-forces should Jake ever do some serious flying. It was a noticeable improvement from his SWAT Kat uniform, flexible and allowing him freedom for any movements of fighting or flying. The entire suit was black, like the New Mutants' uniforms, but the torso-region had a red X with a yellow outline crisscrossing Jake's chest, and over the kat's right pectoral was an X-communicator electronic voice-box, the yellow and red button hardly noticeable and not the least bit cumbersome. Jake also had a yellow pocketed vest and a small yellow pack attached to his left leg with a secure leg-strap to keep his instruments in. Jake also discovered that his newly-rebuilt black and red glovatrix fit snugly with his new uniform on his right arm and complemented it wonderfully, almost putting the kat more at ease with the comforting familiarity. Yet unlike the X-Men, Jake had no gloves or boots, and one could obviously notice his oversized, brown, furry paws and claws sticking out. Jake preferred it though; any fabric covering his paws would have felt too constricting and uncomfortable.

Jake smiled back at the X-Men.

"I like it," he said softly.

"So what should we do about your code-name, Jake?" Rogue asked, "Should be think up of a new one for ya'? Or have you thought of one yourself?"

Jake shook his head as he murmured, "Just call me Razor as always. Let me keep my code name, 'Razor', to help honor Chance and keep the memory of the SWAT Kats alive. Besides, the kids pretty much remember me by that alias anyway, so it'll be easier to remain consistent."

Kurt's eyes crinkled a bit in confusion as he grinned at Jake. The blue furred mutant pointed out, "But…you don't have your mask like you used to. Isn't it going to be a bit awkward for you?"

The kat gave a chuckle as he clarified, "Nah, it won't be, Kurt. I don't need a mask to be a SWAT Kat, just like how you don't need your uniform to be the mutant vigilante, Nightcrawler."

"Are you sure you do not wish to have an image-inducer, Jake?" Piotr asked, "If you had one, it would be easier for you to go out and leave the mansion whenever you wished, just like Kurt."

Jake again shook his head.

"No. It's pretty much why Hank here doesn't want an image-inducer; it's because I have no reason to hide nor would I wish to. Not only would it _not_ do much good here, but even though I'm not blessed with the X-gene, people in your world would still pretty much hate me since it wouldn't take them long to figure out I'm staying with you at the mansion and view me as a mutant as well. To them, a freak is a freak, regardless of being born in this dimension or another dimension. Besides, I think I've done enough hiding for a while. Chance wouldn't have wanted that."

"Welcome to the X-Men then, Razor," smiled Professor Xavier.

000-

Later that night, under the cold and cloudy sky, Jake was silently moping on the Institute grounds, sitting on a sturdy tree-branch while wearing his trademark red baseball cap backwards along with a gray, cotton jumpsuit, staring at the stars above. Even though he could be working on the Blackbird or Velocity or hanging out with the X-Men at the living room, Jake needed some time alone and every night, he would creep out and spend some quiet reflection in the woods nearby the X-Mansion.

Jake felt his vision blur as his vision of the starry sky clouded over, and Jake realized he was crying again. It was still strange, to be happy one moment and then sobbing your guts out the very next. There were times Jake needed to break down, and even though he would do it in the privacy of his room or the bathroom, it was apparent the students and staff knew Jake was still hurting. As much as Jake cared for and appreciated Xavier and the X-Men, it would be highly unlikely he could ever find a best friend exactly like Chance was in his life.

"I miss you so much…" murmured Jake as he looked up at the heavens, his mind drifting to thoughts of heaven and the afterlife.

"Sorry, bub, but I can't say the same likewise," Logan grumbled from behind as he stepped out of the brush and woods only to stand underneath the branch Jake was sitting on. Jake rolled his eyes at Logan irritably.

"What do you want?" he asked coldly, incredibly bothered at the intrusion.

"Just checking up on you. Is that a crime, hairball?" Logan shot back as he crossed his arms and watched the sky alongside the SWAT Kat. Jake raised an eyebrow at the remark; he wasn't so sure how to feel about that. For a good fifteen minutes, neither of them spoke, remaining perfectly still, as they just watched the stars together and the clouds drift by lazily against the brightness of the moonbeams shining from behind them and hearing the distant roars of the ocean not too far off. Even though his hackles were rising and his brown fur was bristled, Jake remained silent, not wishing to be the one to blow up and instigate a fight. Yet it was Logan who broke the serenity first.

"You know, in some Native cultures, they believe that the stars are testimonies of fallen heroes who sacrificed themselves for the good of people, that for every hero who dies to fight evil unselfishly and bravely, their souls will rise to the heavens to become a star, a guiding light to instill courage and inspiration to all future children so that they can be influenced by the light of the hero's soul and in turn, the kids will grow up to be heroes as well, completing the endless cycle of virtue."

Jake gave Logan a curious yet grave look.

Logan then brusquely added, "I'm not sure if it's true or not, hairball, but from what I've seen of you and from what I've seen and heard about Chance…if you see the brightest star that seems to appear every time you go out and look up like some mindless idiot…you'll know who it's from."

Though he had no idea why, Jake stared at the diamond blanket of darkness again, and to his slight surprise, he could swear there was a large, glimmering star he had not noticed before, rivaling the intensity of the moon's, making itself distinctively separate from the other tiny specks in the sky. In fact, it almost seemed to be winking at him.

"You're not so bad after all," Jake finally responded weakly.

"I still can't stand you, though," Logan smirked, "and I frickin' **hate** your cat-hair and body-odor. Every time I get a whiff of you, I'm tempted to grab you by the scruff of your flea-bitten hide and dunk you in a tub and scrub you 'till your raw and bleeding. Or better yet, grab one of the Elf's razors and shave your completely bald. And if that won't do, I could just beat the crap outta you and get it over with."

"Not without losing a few teeth you won't, old-man," sneered Jake as he gracefully leapt off the tree branch and landed on his paws before going toe to toe with Wolverine, "And keep in mind, I've faced Dark Kat, dinosaurs, evil counterparts, the Alliance, the kat-version of Apocalypse, aliens, and giant oil-sucking worms…you think I'd be scared of you? I'm strong and agile enough to be a fair match against you and your so-called skills, Logan."

"You know, now that I think about it, I could always bribe the Ice-cube to switch your shampoo with 'Nair'. That'll be the quickest way for me to deal with your scent, hairball," Logan ridiculed, undaunted.

"Can you at least stop calling me 'hairball'?" Jake asked wryly, shooting Logan a semi-annoyed look of amusement. Logan made a mock-appearance of giving it some exaggerated thought.

"I guess I could use other nicknames…flea-bait's a good one and so is 'neuter-punk' now that I think about it. How about it? Want me to call you those names instead?" grinned Logan evilly.

"Only if **I** can call you the ninja-pining-badger-who-hasn't-gotten-any-for-the-past-two-months," Jake shot back with his eyes gleaming. Logan then gave the kat a dry, deadpanned look of annoyance touched with a mild death-glare. Jake had to admit that the hairy, tight-assed, know-it-all had some good ones.

"Who told you?"

"Jamie through his 'Multiple News Network' who got it from Tabitha who was paid by Jean and Rogue to tell him even though you bribed all the X-Men and the New Mutants to not reveal anything embarrassing or humiliating about your life here as an instructor because you didn't want to seem stupid or inferior to the new guy, not to mention give me any ammunition to take some jabs at you," smirked Jake.

"Damn kids robbed me over a thousand bucks," muttered Logan as he crossed his arms bitterly, but he decided to let it go. Turnabout was fair play, after all.

"It pays when the kids absolutely adore you," Jake leered.

"Well, give it time, and they'll have you running back and screaming to return to Megakat City with your tail in between your legs like a true quitter," Logan mocked.

"You wanna settle this, then…**Badger**?"

"The day I get shown up by some snot-nosed, furry little punk will be the day I lose my adamantium skeleton! Bring it on, hairball!" Logan snarled.

000-

"I wonder where on Earth could Logan be? You don't suppose he went to go antagonize Jake again, do you, Charles?" commented Ororo worriedly as she and the Professor strolled down the halls, making sure that all the teens were in their bedrooms with respect to their curfews. It was past midnight and none of the X-Men had seen hide nor hair of Logan or Jake for that matter.

"Actually, I think I can sense them in the kitchen again," the Professor stated, suing his telepathy to detect the two instructors. At this, Ororo sighed with exasperation as she and Xavier quickly ambled over to the cooking area.

"Honestly, Logan should know better than to fight over alcohol in such a childish manner, and it would hardly kill him if he learned to share his…"

At this, whatever Ororo was going to say trailed off as she and the Professor entered the kitchen and stopped and stared at the sight in amazement. There, seated directly across from one another on the oak table were Jake and Logan, between them were a tall glass of cold milk and a gigantic jar of red habanero chili-peppers floating in oil. Both Jake and Logan were slightly twitching, their faces red and breathing heavily through their noses, their tongues screaming and their blood actually being pumped madly by their rapidly-pounding hearts. Jake just ignored the churning feeling in his stomach as he deftly picked a habanero pepper from the jar and tantalizingly brushed the tip of it against his tongue, teasing Logan maliciously before popping it in his mouth and biting down with a satisfying crunch.

Jake and Logan were having a pepper-eating contest. The milk would be for the loser who would be unable to carry out the torture of the spicy-brutality any longer. And it appeared that neither of the two X-Men was willingly to back out to the other.

"Give up **yet**, Logan?" smirked Jake with a wicked, gleeful look.

"Not on your life, hairball," hissed Logan, his brow already starting to sweat and his eyes and nostrils feeling as if they were inflamed with lighted-gasoline as he reached for another pepper.

Ororo and the Professor both rolled their eyes at each other, but silently, they retreated back into the den, leaving Jake and Logan to settle their petty rivalry on the kitchen, unbothered.

"I guess what you said earlier about Logan was true, Ororo," Xavier chuckled as he sighed heavily, "Who knows? Maybe Logan is the one thing to help out our resident cat and make him feel more at home."

Ororo sighed as she then overheard Jake and Logan taunt each other rudely and chauvinistically.

"I'll remind you of that observation when Logan and Jake try to kill each other," groaned the weather-witch.

_The End_

**Author's note: First and foremost, I wish to dedicate the story to the character, Chance Furlong, and even though he was just a cartoon character, killing him was really hard to do, and I also found out that the voice-actor, "Charlie Adler" who does the voice of Chance ALSO did the voice of Low Light in "G.I. Joe"! Amazing, huh? And like I said, this isn't your normal conclusion, people! Things will really heat up for the Misfits and X-Men in the next cross-over (yes, they will finally meet up), but until then, I'll fool around with one or two one-shots for the next Friday or two as always. Until then, review and constructive criticism welcome!**

**Also to my beloved reviewers:**

**Red Witch:** _Again, I dedicate this story to you as well. Since I'm using your Misfits to write, it's only fair, and besides, it's a great honor to be able to fool around with your universe. And I'm glad you remember the SWAT Kats cartoon better than you remember the Dinosaucers. And yep, not a lot of people expected Dark Kat to follow Apocalypse! As for the future with Jake being in the X-Men, you're right that he'll be in for a wild ride._

**Asha-man72:** _Remember how you said the way I write encourages you to wait and check back every Friday? Well, your reviews make me want to keep writing! Not only are you my favorite reviewer, but you really know how to make me smile with your reviews. Forget Cloud-9! Your reviews put me at least on Cloud-100! Heck, every Friday, I'm eagerly awaiting you to review the chapter cause it's the one I enjoy the most! And yes, Feral hate for the SWAT Kats was based on JJJ's hate for Spider-Man! I'm glad you caught onto that, and I'm also touched by how you respected the way I had Chance die just like how I'm pleased you were able to see what the chapter "Saying Good-Bye" really meant. Hey, as long as you leave great reviews, I'll always keep up the excellent work! And I hope to read your Misfit story someday as well! I can't wait!_

**Sparky Genocide:** _Thanks for the reviews, and actually, I did want Callie to kick Feral in the breadbasket, but Feral would have probably thrown her in jail ASAP if she did. You might like the next crossover I'll do, but to clarify on something: I never made a reference to Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, but…let's just say the Misfits will make four new friends someday in the future (hint, hint). Glad you liked this, and Jake will be acquainted with alcohol enough._

**Prophet-Song:** _Yep, Jake joins the X-Men. And "SPIFFY"? I actually like that word! And I'm glad you were touched by Chance's death scene, not to mention I'm also glad SWAT Kats was one of your favorite cartoons growing up. As for something bad happening to Feral, I can't kill him off, but does Bobby blowing up his car satisfy the urge somewhat? Hope you check back soon and enjoy your Spring Break. And BTW, I love Dr. Hackle too._

**GothikStrawberry:** _Thanks for reviewing, and yeah, it seems like the scene with Jake begging Feral to mercy-kill him struck a chord with everyone. I'm still surprised how dramatic it was for a lot of people. And yeah, I feel bad for Callie too, but she needs to know Jake needed to leave. Thanks for reviewing._

**Raelina:** _Thanks for reviewing, and hope to see you for the next crossover! And I'm glad you spotted the cross-word references._

**Lonegrowlithe:** _Hey, glad to hear from you! Glad I got a new reviewer, and yes, that was the whole reason I did this crossover. Jake joining the X-Men was something I have been planning for quite a while, and later down the road, you will find out why I'm doing so many crossovers. Until then, glad to have your reviews._

**Aaron:** _Yep, Dark Kat's master was Apocalypse. And I agree with you; the tide before the storm, when the lines are drawn and everyone is on the same page before the final battle is what I love best of all too. It's like the most climactic part of the story, and yes, I got the idea for Feral's hatred for the SWAT Kats from JJJ's hate for Spider-Man. Not only did it make sense, but it gave Feral a more 3-D outlook in that he's not a complete heartless jerk, just too tight-minded about following the law. And that's not necessarily a bad thing. Hope to hear you back soon! And yes, Razor will eventually meet the Misfits like how Whitelighter will eventually meet the X-Men. And yes, now I know Jenni Starr and the Southside Misfits are your creation. I'll see if I can use them as a cameo soon._

**L1701E:** _Thanks man for the e-mails! And check back soon for my one-shots! I'll give the Starr brothers and the West Coast Misfits a cameo or two soon!_

**Xenomorph666:** _Thanks, and again, once your next Misfit story is up, it's going to the C2 community for the Misfit-verse._

**Metalomaniac:** _No problem. I hope your Spring break is the vacation you need to recuperate from school, and hope you enjoy the Dinosaucers fanfics too! Let's just say when they meet the X-Men, it'll be awkward to say the least._


End file.
